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> I impulssively bought a plane ticket to Panama: > I cried. Haven’t done that in years. > I had the uncomfortable conversation with my business partner to te

by rwasco 3y ago

> I impulssively bought a plane ticket to Panama: > I cried. Haven’t done that in years. > I had the uncomfortable conversation with my business partner to tell them I no longer have passion for it and am leaving them the decision to continue or quit. > I forced myself to talk to strangers every single day. These also could be explained by someone entering hypomania. How would you distinguish stuck/unstuck from depressed/hypomanic?

maroonblazer 3y ago
3 of those 4 - crying, having an uncomfortable conversation, and talking to strangers - don't seem like symptoms of hypomania. The impulsive plane ticket to Panama is questionable too. We'd need to know a LOT more about the individual to make the leap from that to a disorder.
- benoitmalige 3y ago
  You’re right, those actions by themselves don’t necessarily point to hypomania—they’re just snippets of a larger journey. Panama was indeed just the beginning; the real journey has been internal—navigating the landscapes of self-discovery and learning to process my thoughts through writing. Your comment is much appreciated; it’s all part of the conversation about understanding ourselves better. So thank you for that.
imbnwa 3y ago
I don't see the virtue of grounding an empirical wisdom in some species of scientific (mechanical might be better the term?) description. Funny enough, in relation to your comment, I've never met anyone motivated by this brand of advocacy who didn't suffer swings in depression; as if 'science' were some exterior mass whose gravity/gravitas would pull them up and out from the dregs of the swamp by virtue of its sheer presence to mind.
hallway_monitor 3y ago
I think these labels definitely apply, if you think about it as a spectrum. Maybe the author's state wasn't pathological in either case but he definitely went from low energy to high energy. I notice these shifts in myself and others; deciding to change it is the only way to get yourself out of a rut in my experience. When I do feel a little too "amped up" I use that energy and just make sure to avoid big decisions.
mynameisvlad 3y ago
These energy levels are all relative, though. If you’ve spent most of your life in a depressed state, then suddenly having energy (possibly because you’re dealing with your mental health for the first time) then a lot of things are going to look like “hypomania” in comparison and I feel like that is the case for a lot of people.
- sdwr 3y ago
  Where it turns into mania, in my experience, is when you start doubling down repeatedly. If your good feeling comes from believing that you are making a huge change in your life, you get anchored to the rate of change, and start needing bigger and bigger feelings to keep up. It's a kind of self-ponzi scheme - nothing has tangibly gotten better, all you have is the belief.
- nullindividual 3y ago
  Hypomania is an unusual level of excitement and happiness; 'thinking straight' becomes difficult, but it doesn't feel that way in the moment. Happiness and hypomania are easily distinguishable.
  - mynameisvlad 3y ago
    What, exactly, constitutes “an unusual level of excitement and happiness” to someone who has lived for many years in a depressed state? I’m going to take a gander and say that happiness and hypomania are far from “easily distinguishable” in this case, which was my entire point. If you’ve spent your life depressed, then any amount of happiness is going to look a whole lot like hypomania.
sdwr 3y ago
There's a big grey area in the middle. How you want to label it is influenced by the outcome and whether you think it's a good idea. Quitting your job and flying to Central America is risky. If his life improves from there, then it was getting unstuck. If it gets worse or goes back to the same, then it was a manic episode. History written by the victors!
- benoitmalige 3y ago
  Well said. And for clarification, it was not a job but the business I started 6 years ago. More rencent update: The trip gave me a new perspective and I shifted the business model, rather than shutting it down.
  - lgvld 3y ago
    Would you tell me more about it, please? I sometimes feel like I am in the same position as you were: > I had the uncomfortable conversation with my business partner to tell them I no longer have passion for it and am leaving them the decision to continue or quit. When I feel burned out and/or unpassionate by my work, I automatically think about leaving it behind and move on, but after some rest (and discussion) I usually come to another easier-on-my-mind perspective which alleviates me, at least for some time. But I am worried I am just making compromises with myself in order to stay stuck in my comfort zone -- instead of going for more radical changes. Cool article btw, thank you.
    - benoitmalige 3y ago
      First off, thank you for your comment, and your compliment is very much appreciated. I can relate to what you're describing and can only speak from my own journey. The recurring thought of needing change haunted me for years. Financial stability did play a crucial role in allowing me the flexibility to make significant changes. One of the toughest challenges was the idea of letting go of something I had poured so much into over the years. Before launching my business 6 years ago, I faced a similar crossroads while feeling trapped in an unsatisfying job. With just three months of savings, I took the leap into starting my company, which, fortunately, turned out well. It underscores that there isn't a universal solution; it really depends on each individual's circumstances. What pushed me to start writing this newsletter was a profound sense of lacking purpose. That feeling of purposelessness eventually outweighed the fear of stepping away from the business I had built. I hope sharing this provides some clarity.
charles_f 3y ago
I guess you could see it as one of the causes of depression? Kinda like having a cold describes a situation that can be caused by 10s of thousands of viruses, in the end you still feel the same kind of shitty. Still useful to know what kind of virus it is so it can be treated?

by rwasco 3y ago

maroonblazer 3y ago

3 of those 4 - crying, having an uncomfortable conversation, and talking to strangers - don't seem like symptoms of hypomania. The impulsive plane ticket to Panama is questionable too. We'd need to know a LOT more about the individual to make the leap from that to a disorder.

benoitmalige 3y ago
You’re right, those actions by themselves don’t necessarily point to hypomania—they’re just snippets of a larger journey. Panama was indeed just the beginning; the real journey has been internal—navigating the landscapes of self-discovery and learning to process my thoughts through writing. Your comment is much appreciated; it’s all part of the conversation about understanding ourselves better. So thank you for that.

imbnwa 3y ago

I don't see the virtue of grounding an empirical wisdom in some species of scientific (mechanical might be better the term?) description. Funny enough, in relation to your comment, I've never met anyone motivated by this brand of advocacy who didn't suffer swings in depression; as if 'science' were some exterior mass whose gravity/gravitas would pull them up and out from the dregs of the swamp by virtue of its sheer presence to mind.

hallway_monitor 3y ago

I think these labels definitely apply, if you think about it as a spectrum. Maybe the author's state wasn't pathological in either case but he definitely went from low energy to high energy. I notice these shifts in myself and others; deciding to change it is the only way to get yourself out of a rut in my experience. When I do feel a little too "amped up" I use that energy and just make sure to avoid big decisions.

mynameisvlad 3y ago

These energy levels are all relative, though. If you’ve spent most of your life in a depressed state, then suddenly having energy (possibly because you’re dealing with your mental health for the first time) then a lot of things are going to look like “hypomania” in comparison and I feel like that is the case for a lot of people.

sdwr 3y ago
Where it turns into mania, in my experience, is when you start doubling down repeatedly. If your good feeling comes from believing that you are making a huge change in your life, you get anchored to the rate of change, and start needing bigger and bigger feelings to keep up. It's a kind of self-ponzi scheme - nothing has tangibly gotten better, all you have is the belief.
nullindividual 3y ago
Hypomania is an unusual level of excitement and happiness; 'thinking straight' becomes difficult, but it doesn't feel that way in the moment. Happiness and hypomania are easily distinguishable.
- mynameisvlad 3y ago
  What, exactly, constitutes “an unusual level of excitement and happiness” to someone who has lived for many years in a depressed state? I’m going to take a gander and say that happiness and hypomania are far from “easily distinguishable” in this case, which was my entire point. If you’ve spent your life depressed, then any amount of happiness is going to look a whole lot like hypomania.

sdwr 3y ago

There's a big grey area in the middle. How you want to label it is influenced by the outcome and whether you think it's a good idea. Quitting your job and flying to Central America is risky. If his life improves from there, then it was getting unstuck. If it gets worse or goes back to the same, then it was a manic episode. History written by the victors!

benoitmalige 3y ago
Well said. And for clarification, it was not a job but the business I started 6 years ago. More rencent update: The trip gave me a new perspective and I shifted the business model, rather than shutting it down.
- lgvld 3y ago
  Would you tell me more about it, please? I sometimes feel like I am in the same position as you were: > I had the uncomfortable conversation with my business partner to tell them I no longer have passion for it and am leaving them the decision to continue or quit. When I feel burned out and/or unpassionate by my work, I automatically think about leaving it behind and move on, but after some rest (and discussion) I usually come to another easier-on-my-mind perspective which alleviates me, at least for some time. But I am worried I am just making compromises with myself in order to stay stuck in my comfort zone -- instead of going for more radical changes. Cool article btw, thank you.
  - benoitmalige 3y ago
    First off, thank you for your comment, and your compliment is very much appreciated. I can relate to what you're describing and can only speak from my own journey. The recurring thought of needing change haunted me for years. Financial stability did play a crucial role in allowing me the flexibility to make significant changes. One of the toughest challenges was the idea of letting go of something I had poured so much into over the years. Before launching my business 6 years ago, I faced a similar crossroads while feeling trapped in an unsatisfying job. With just three months of savings, I took the leap into starting my company, which, fortunately, turned out well. It underscores that there isn't a universal solution; it really depends on each individual's circumstances. What pushed me to start writing this newsletter was a profound sense of lacking purpose. That feeling of purposelessness eventually outweighed the fear of stepping away from the business I had built. I hope sharing this provides some clarity.

charles_f 3y ago

I guess you could see it as one of the causes of depression? Kinda like having a cold describes a situation that can be caused by 10s of thousands of viruses, in the end you still feel the same kind of shitty. Still useful to know what kind of virus it is so it can be treated?