Hypomania

So I mentioned in my post that I was a hypomaniac, which sounds funny but true. 
An ER doc one night said you are a hypomaniac and I laughed.. until I pulled up the DSM-IV criteria and met most if not all of them.  Anytime I walked in dragging ass he'd laugh and say you got too much sleep didn't you.  I truly function better on 4 hours of sleep than 8 hours of sleep.
So here are the DSM-IV criteria for hypomania:
DSM-IV-TR defines a hypomanic episode as including, over the course of at least four days, elevated mood plus three of the following symptoms OR irritable mood plus four of the following symptoms:

• pressured speech
• inflated self-esteem or grandiosity
• decreased need for sleep
• flight of ideas or the subjective experience that thoughts are racing
• easy distractibility and attention-deficit similar to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
• increase in psychomotor agitation
• involvement in pleasurable activities that may have a high potential for negative psycho-social or physical consequences (e.g., the person engages in unrestrained buying sprees, sexual indiscretions, reckless driving, or foolish business investments)

Hypomania isn't a bad thing though usually.  Dr. John Gartner wrote a book about how hypomania actually is what drives America.   His book is called "The Hypomanic Edge" http://www.hypomanicedge.com/

There are advantages of hypomania as well:
For me personally, I've learned how to read people.  I've also learned the rules for work.  I was approached a few years ago and asked to take a semi-management position.... except I was told that I will befriend the current person, learn as much as I can, and then watch them take the fall.  It was that moment, that I realized administration is three steps in front of everyone and I vowed to be at least two from that point on.  I'll do what I have to do to succeed.  Callous... probably.  I don't fail.  I refuse to fail. 
I've also considered a career in politics.. because I have no doubt that I can do it.

"Some commentators believe that hypomania actually has an evolutionary advantage.^[5] People with hypomania are generally perceived as being energetic, euphoric, visionary, overflowing with new ideas, and sometimes over-confident and very charismatic, yet—unlike those with full-blown mania—are sufficiently capable of coherent thought and action to participate in everyday activities. Like mania, there seems to be a significant correlation between hypomania and creativity. A person in the state of hypomania might be immune to fear and doubt and have negligible social and sexual inhibition. People experiencing hypomania usually have very strong sex-drive. Hypomaniac people are often the "life of the party." They may talk to strangers easily, offer solutions to problems, and find pleasure in small activities. Such advantages may render them unwilling to submit to treatment, especially when disadvantages are minimal."

Disadvantages though means that I drag ass for a few days if I sleep too much and of course foolishness can be a double edge sword.  It can ruin relationships as well as ruin you financially (if you make a bad business move)... but that's a chance you take cause the payoff can be huge.