What Mania Feels Like for Me - Bipolar Disorder Explained

What does mania actually feel like? In this video, I share my lived experience with bipolar disorder, what mania and hypomania looked like for me before and after diagnosis, and the signs I now know to watch for.

From lack of sleep and rapid thoughts to impulsive spending and feeling like “everything is aligning,” this is an honest, personal look at bipolar mania, without sensationalizing it.

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:05 My Bipolar Disorder Diagnosis
3:00 Early Signs of Mania & Sleep Loss
6:10 Rapid Thoughts, Energy & “Everything Aligning”
9:40 Manic Spending & Impulsivity
13:20 Looking Back: Hypomania Before Diagnosis
18:30 Moving to San Francisco & Risk-Taking
24:30 Recognizing Mania After Diagnosis
28:40 How Loved Ones Help Spot Warning Signs
32:00 Mania vs Being Human
35:30 Language, Stigma & Bipolar Disorder
38:20 Final Thoughts & Takeaways

Living with bipolar disorder means learning your patterns over time. For me, mania showed up as lack of sleep, rapid thoughts, rapid speech, impulsive decisions, and a feeling that everything suddenly made sense. The tricky part? It often felt productive—or even good—until it tipped too far.

In this video, I walk through:

-What my first manic episode (resulting in hospitalization) looked like
-Why mania can feel “normal” before diagnosis
-How mania & hypomania showed up earlier in my life
-The difference between mania and everyday intensity
-How I now recognize early warning signs
-Why language matters when we talk about mental health

Everyone’s experience with bipolar disorder is different. My hope is that sharing mine helps reduce stigma, encourages curiosity over fear, and reminds you that you’re not broken, you’re human.

If you’re questioning your own experiences, it doesn’t automatically mean a bipolar diagnosis. It does mean you deserve support, information, and compassion.

If this resonates with you, I’d love to hear your experience.
What does mania or hypomania feel like for you? Drop a comment if you’re comfortable sharing.

Subscribe for more real conversations about bipolar disorder, mental health, and building a balanced life.

Explore more from Bipolar Brought Balance: https://www.bipolarbroughtbalance.com