Most people envision mania as the woman who rings up $2000 on her master card, or the guy up all night composing music. But mania, and especially hypomania, need not be so obvious or extreme. If you suffer from a “soft” bipolar disorder (Bipolar Disorder II for one today) like I do, where the manic cycles are somewhat difficult to identify, you need friends and family by your side to help you recognize when you’re heading into the danger zone.

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