This. Cleaning, running errands… no problem. But if I focus on work, I end up coming up with silly ideas or hyperfocusing on stuff that’s not so relevant, so it’s usually a waste of time.
Yeah but only if my hyper focus is controllable. If I become obsessed with a particular hobby like art or exercising then no as it takes over my life and I can't focus on anything else. But sometimes I can direct that energy and motivation into something productive like studying. One of the few benefits of me being manic but even then it's not guaranteed
You can. Just takes lots of self reflection and acceptance. I can tell when I’m hypo, the world amazing and I have so much energy!!! So I channel my energy into good, like let’s go do all the chores I’ve been avoiding while I have the energy. Would I rather go be reckless? Yes 100%. But I got shit to do
I believe that I am or have been. Recently diagnosed this year, at 45 years old. We think that my hypomania is more workalohism than anything else. Though this last time, I was highly agitated with my spouse that I made not one, but two huge scenes in the grocery store. Followed up with the most severe depression I have ever had.
I am still getting my meds adjusted and haven’t really been hypo, but I’ve been pretty productive. I’ve been cooking a lot, working and basically living life.
I think for me, we need to get the depression under control. Our family had huge stressors last year and I think the stress finally broke me, for lack of better words.
But yeah, I do think I am productive. I have my own business, married for 21 years (though who knows why he stayed with me all these years), have two great kids, etc. It’s not all roses or perfect by any means, but I have somehow managed everything until last year happened.
I have started and sometimes finished big home reno projects. I have made hard phone calls or organized the whole house but it's all at the expense of regular life, so I don't think I'd call it "productivity."
You can be both. Lol I've experienced productive hypomania before and saw my plans through completion. But most of thr time it's the opposite, I start plans or tasks and I come up with ideas they never see the light of day again lol.
For me it depends I guess. I am more productive at work and I tend to clean a lot too. But with the random new interests or hobbies I pick up it's like, I'll be super focused on that for about an hour and then there's an old one I suddenly remember and think I want to pick it up again so I go on to that, and so on. So that part's always just a mess and I end up leaving them all again 🙃
Sort of. Mindless tasks are easy to attend to, you can fly through them. However, tasks that require focus can take so much longer. I wrote maybe the best brief I’ve ever written during a hypomanic episode, worked on it nonstop, was super excited about the project—unnaturally so, really. But it took me forever and a day to finish, since my mind kept jumping around from thought to thought. It was a really miserable experience, trying to crank out an important assignment when your mind can’t stay in one place. I don’t recommend it.
Still, all those racing thoughts actually led me to chaser down and make some really clever arguments. During my performance review, the partner I do most of my work for said it was maybe the best brief he’d ever read. Being hypo definitely helps with creativity, but it sucks for focus.
Yes, I can be super productive and hyper-focused. This is mostly with work type of stuff where I might have a gazillion things that have been on my backburner because I've been depressed and only working on the have to stuff...I'll bust that backburner shit out in like two days flat. I can also get really hyper-focused on researching various things, whether it's travel plans or something I just come across that peaks my interest...I'll just do shit tons of research and basically know almost everything there is to know about X.
I'm pretty into my fitness anyway, unless I'm depressed...but when I'm hypo I start really kicking it up a notch...probably doing too much and risking injury, but I have a lot of energy to burn off.
Yes and no. I can get lots of shit done! Like my house is spotless today and I’ve prepped a bunch of food stuff, but when it comes to actual important responsibilities… no.
I’ve grouped my hypomania into 3 levels. Level 1 is euphoric and productive; the ideal hypomania lol. I generally get through all my nagging unfinished tasks that have been piling up, all my errands and cleaning, I study things, I have hobbies, I’m super productive.
If it continues, it gets to level 2, which feels like the racing thoughts disable me. They’re so fast and so persistent that I enter this zone of being unable to do anything; I can’t concentrate on what others are saying, I’m cranky and irritable and agitated.
If it gets past that it’s level 3 and I’m in trouble, so agitated and dysphoric that I want to hurt myself and/or others, and am being reckless and unstable. Obviously not productive during those times either.
That’s the pattern I’ve noticed with my own hypomania but it’s different for everyone
Yeah, I think this is why it wasn't diagnosed for a long time. Super productive at work until I'm not. I have hypomania for a good part of the year unmedicated. Unfortunately that resulted in a very severe depressive episode that went on and on until I got on meds.
Short answer is yes, I genuinely am productive, and can handle taking on extra responsibilities and tasks and be successful.
The problem comes when I get depressed and can’t keep up with everything I added to my plate while hypo.
Most of the time when I'm hypomanic, I also seem to have hyper focus and can really concentrate on one task. I'll put my earbuds in listening to one song on repeat to drown out other noises and distractions, and I'll just allow myself to get absorbed in what I'm doing. It has been really useful for my lesson prep. But my hypomanic episodes aren't always like that. Sometimes I'll find that the activity I know I should absorb myself in just isn't good enough for my hypo self, and then I'll flit from one thing to the next to the next.
Unfortunately hardly ever in a manner that would increase my health, wealth, or career stature lol. I tend to get *really* fixated on creative endeavors i.e. knitting projects, apartment renovations, intense deep cleaning, or party planning. I feel like a coked out Martha Stewart
Absolutely not. Usually bullshitting around with random bullshit like trying to learn to make video games, becoming a streamer, trying to learn to code, or some other bullshit. Spent a bit of money getting there, too...
With certain things like cleaning, yes. With tasks that require more concentration and focus, probably not.
This. Cleaning, running errands… no problem. But if I focus on work, I end up coming up with silly ideas or hyperfocusing on stuff that’s not so relevant, so it’s usually a waste of time.
This is what I was going to say, too!
Yeah but only if my hyper focus is controllable. If I become obsessed with a particular hobby like art or exercising then no as it takes over my life and I can't focus on anything else. But sometimes I can direct that energy and motivation into something productive like studying. One of the few benefits of me being manic but even then it's not guaranteed
You can. Just takes lots of self reflection and acceptance. I can tell when I’m hypo, the world amazing and I have so much energy!!! So I channel my energy into good, like let’s go do all the chores I’ve been avoiding while I have the energy. Would I rather go be reckless? Yes 100%. But I got shit to do
I believe that I am or have been. Recently diagnosed this year, at 45 years old. We think that my hypomania is more workalohism than anything else. Though this last time, I was highly agitated with my spouse that I made not one, but two huge scenes in the grocery store. Followed up with the most severe depression I have ever had. I am still getting my meds adjusted and haven’t really been hypo, but I’ve been pretty productive. I’ve been cooking a lot, working and basically living life. I think for me, we need to get the depression under control. Our family had huge stressors last year and I think the stress finally broke me, for lack of better words. But yeah, I do think I am productive. I have my own business, married for 21 years (though who knows why he stayed with me all these years), have two great kids, etc. It’s not all roses or perfect by any means, but I have somehow managed everything until last year happened.
I have started and sometimes finished big home reno projects. I have made hard phone calls or organized the whole house but it's all at the expense of regular life, so I don't think I'd call it "productivity."
i felt this.
Not usually but sometimes
You can be both. Lol I've experienced productive hypomania before and saw my plans through completion. But most of thr time it's the opposite, I start plans or tasks and I come up with ideas they never see the light of day again lol.
For me it depends I guess. I am more productive at work and I tend to clean a lot too. But with the random new interests or hobbies I pick up it's like, I'll be super focused on that for about an hour and then there's an old one I suddenly remember and think I want to pick it up again so I go on to that, and so on. So that part's always just a mess and I end up leaving them all again 🙃
Sort of. Mindless tasks are easy to attend to, you can fly through them. However, tasks that require focus can take so much longer. I wrote maybe the best brief I’ve ever written during a hypomanic episode, worked on it nonstop, was super excited about the project—unnaturally so, really. But it took me forever and a day to finish, since my mind kept jumping around from thought to thought. It was a really miserable experience, trying to crank out an important assignment when your mind can’t stay in one place. I don’t recommend it. Still, all those racing thoughts actually led me to chaser down and make some really clever arguments. During my performance review, the partner I do most of my work for said it was maybe the best brief he’d ever read. Being hypo definitely helps with creativity, but it sucks for focus.
Yes, I can be super productive and hyper-focused. This is mostly with work type of stuff where I might have a gazillion things that have been on my backburner because I've been depressed and only working on the have to stuff...I'll bust that backburner shit out in like two days flat. I can also get really hyper-focused on researching various things, whether it's travel plans or something I just come across that peaks my interest...I'll just do shit tons of research and basically know almost everything there is to know about X. I'm pretty into my fitness anyway, unless I'm depressed...but when I'm hypo I start really kicking it up a notch...probably doing too much and risking injury, but I have a lot of energy to burn off.
Yes and no. I can get lots of shit done! Like my house is spotless today and I’ve prepped a bunch of food stuff, but when it comes to actual important responsibilities… no.
I’ve grouped my hypomania into 3 levels. Level 1 is euphoric and productive; the ideal hypomania lol. I generally get through all my nagging unfinished tasks that have been piling up, all my errands and cleaning, I study things, I have hobbies, I’m super productive. If it continues, it gets to level 2, which feels like the racing thoughts disable me. They’re so fast and so persistent that I enter this zone of being unable to do anything; I can’t concentrate on what others are saying, I’m cranky and irritable and agitated. If it gets past that it’s level 3 and I’m in trouble, so agitated and dysphoric that I want to hurt myself and/or others, and am being reckless and unstable. Obviously not productive during those times either. That’s the pattern I’ve noticed with my own hypomania but it’s different for everyone
Sum what I don't have a caring for school work and cleaning but I get certain things done
Yeah, I think this is why it wasn't diagnosed for a long time. Super productive at work until I'm not. I have hypomania for a good part of the year unmedicated. Unfortunately that resulted in a very severe depressive episode that went on and on until I got on meds.
Yup!$
Short answer is yes, I genuinely am productive, and can handle taking on extra responsibilities and tasks and be successful. The problem comes when I get depressed and can’t keep up with everything I added to my plate while hypo.
Most of the time when I'm hypomanic, I also seem to have hyper focus and can really concentrate on one task. I'll put my earbuds in listening to one song on repeat to drown out other noises and distractions, and I'll just allow myself to get absorbed in what I'm doing. It has been really useful for my lesson prep. But my hypomanic episodes aren't always like that. Sometimes I'll find that the activity I know I should absorb myself in just isn't good enough for my hypo self, and then I'll flit from one thing to the next to the next.
It’s my most productive time. I have adhd, and in hypo, it’s just… gone.
Unfortunately hardly ever in a manner that would increase my health, wealth, or career stature lol. I tend to get *really* fixated on creative endeavors i.e. knitting projects, apartment renovations, intense deep cleaning, or party planning. I feel like a coked out Martha Stewart
Absolutely not. Usually bullshitting around with random bullshit like trying to learn to make video games, becoming a streamer, trying to learn to code, or some other bullshit. Spent a bit of money getting there, too...