Hypomania can be considered a dangerous state of mind for someone afflicted with bipolar disorder to be in. One reason is that the afflicted person often finds it a good place to be. Another reason for this is that quite frequently it is the beginning of the bipolar cycle. Left alone it often leads onto more dangerous episodes of mania or depression. A different viewpoint is that hypomania can be an excellent place in the bipolar cycle to start seeking treatment.
Can hypomania in fact be your friend? Speaking entirely from personal experience I know this is definitely the case for me. Does the same hold good generally for all or most people afflicted with bipolar disorder? There is an argument to be put that the answer is yes. I would like to examine that question.
Perhaps the first point to consider is your exact bipolar diagnosis, the normal pattern you cycle through and the time spent in a normal state between episodes. With bipolar, type 1 a very common pattern is a hypomania episode followed by mania. With bipolar, type 2 a very common pattern is for the cycle start with a hypomania episode followed by depression. With cyclothymiac's disorder the common cycle is from a hypomanic episode to a mild depression.
Given the number of afflicted people whose cycle starts with hypomania the question "is this the best time to treat bipolar disorder?" does take on some significance. If the answer to the question is yes then hypomania provides a great opportunity to keep your bipolar disorder in order. In that case all those people whose cycle starts with a hypomanic episode would find that their bipolar cycle could be controlled at the very point that it starts.
Many afflicted people feel that a hypomanic episode is "fun." They refuse to believe they are hypomanic or refuse to seek treatment for it. They might be denying themselves of the best opportunity to manage their bipolar. To my mind a hypomanic episode offers an excellent opportunity to ensure that even worse problems are not experienced. This is especially so if help is sought at the earliest possible moment.
I am not a health professional. However, I do have considerable personal experience with bipolar disorder. I have also done considerable research into it. Even so I will I not presume to answer the question I have asked. To me logic says it should be the case. However, instead of answering the question in the affirmative I suggest that you give it earnest consideration yourself. Why don't you, next time you think you are entering a hypomanic episode, present yourself to your health professional and seek treatment for yourself. That way you can find out the answer for yourself.
If the answer is yes for you then you will have gone a long way to learning how to managing your bipolar disorder. In turn this will go a long way towards you regaining control of your life.
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