psyche | R Freeman/Magnum
Manic episodes and hypomanic episodes are periods of abnormally heightened or irritable mood, as well as increased activity or energy. There is no chemical test for them; diagnosis depends on recognising certain kinds of behaviour or thinking. The major guidelines for doing this are similar to each other, so here we’ll draw from definitions used in the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR).