Episodes of depression and hypomania are common experiences of people with bipolar II disorder. During a hypomanic episode, the person has symptoms of mania that are not severe enough or last long enough to be considered a manic episode.

Another psychiatric condition that causes hypomanic episodes is cyclothymic disorder. In cyclothymic disorder, the person must have numerous hypomanic episodes for at least two years.

The symptoms of hypomania include an abnormally irritable or elevated mood that lasts for at least four days. The mood disturbance and other symptoms of mania must last for at least a week or be severe enough to require hospitalization for the symptoms to be considered evidence of a manic episode.

The person must have at least three other symptoms of mania during the mood disturbance if the mood is elevated or four or more if the mood disturbance is irritable for it to be considered a hypomanic episode. Distractibility and inflated self-esteem or grandiosity are two symptoms of mania that can occur during a hypomanic episode.

Increased talkativeness and racing thoughts are two possible symptoms of mania. The person may not feel a need for sleep during a hypomanic episode. The person may sleep as little as two or three hours a day and not feel tired.

An episode of hypomania can cause the person to become preoccupied with goal-oriented behavior. During a hypomanic episode, a considerable amount of time and energy may be spent in pursuit of social, work-related, or personal goals.

Hypomania can cause the person to engage in pleasurable activities without regards to the consequences of their behavior. These activities with which the person becomes excessively involved are often out of character for the person.

To be considered an episode of hypomania, the symptoms must cause a change in functioning but not significant social or occupational impairment. The change in functioning must be an observable change and not just the person’s perception of a change.

If the symptoms persist for at least a week and become severe enough to cause an impairment in occupational or social functioning, the hypomanic episode may be considered a manic episode. In these cases, the person’s diagnosis may change from bipolar II disorder or cyclothymic disorder to bipolar I disorder since the presence of manic episodes is the defining trait of bipolar I disorder.