Depression

What are the symptoms of mania?

Some people who experience depression have alternating or sporadic periods of feeling inappropriately high, elevated, expansive, or euphoric—words that convey the meaning of mania. Manic episodes are extraordinary highs that far exceed the ordinary experience of being healthfully up.

Mood disorders characterized by cycles between extreme highs and extreme lows are called bipolar disorders. Bipolar disorders are episodic conditions marked by depression punctuated by at least one episode of mania (exceptionally extreme highs) or hypomania (moderately extreme highs).

Bouncing between the poles of high–high (mania) and low–low (depression) is the very essence of the diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder contrasts with mild-to-moderate depression and major depression, disorders characterized by deep lows without intervening manic highs.

To be diagnosed as having manic episodes, a person must experience manic symptoms—feeling unusually high, euphoric, elevated or expansive—for at least one week and also experience three or more of the following symptoms:

• inflated self-esteem and grandiosity
• marked decrease in the need for sleep
• talkativeness with rapid, pressured speech
• flight of ideas and disconnected, rapidly-racing thoughts
• distractibility
• increased goal-directed activities
• excessive involvement in pleasurable activity with a high risk of negative consequences (e.g., buying spree, sexual indiscretion, or foolish investment)

To learn more about mania and other mood disorders, go to mood disorders.

To explore your own symptoms and determine whether you have symptoms of mania, depression, or both, complete this questionnaire if you have not received a formal diagnosis of depression and/or mania from your physician.