ok so just reading all these responses is making me giddy with 'shared-experiencenes-oh-my-god-i-am-so-craving-for-hearing-how-it-is-for-others' ness (hahaha if that made any sense at all)
So after years of my hypomania's being misdiagnosed as anxiety, and after a little adventure of medical tests to solve my mysterious constant fatigue, foggy brain, aching body ... which turned up no 'medical' reasons, I was finally diagnosed with Bipolar II. For me personally I have found the diagnosis helpful because it gives me a way to make sense of and manage my symptoms and it reminds me not to be so hard on myself when I am not coping.
So, talking to your little list ...
Point 2 & 5: Oh my god yes, I can so relate to the whole brain not shutting down, not sleeping, can't stop thinking about colours stuff. I actually had to quit studying anything too mathematical at uni years ago because it was so stimulating that I had about 2-3 days straight where I didn't sleep and was constantly seeing mathematical stuff in my brain all freakin day long. It actually made me physically sick and I had to take anti nausea pills to stop myself from throwing up constantly. In fact when I am on a hypo-mania, it's like I can't help but see the artistic in everything, EVERYTHING - even ugly cigarette butts on the ground or overflowing garbage bins seem to be arranged in a distractingly interesting compositions ...its so overwhelming and draining! So no, your colour thing does not sound weird to at all @Shelaughsalot!
Point 1: When I am going through a depressive period, I feel like I am in a rut and I really struggle to find joy or interest in things and it's like my brain's problem solving/solution seeing switch is broken. Even simple things seem impossible or unsolveable. I have learned with time to hang in there during these periods, and just trust, because these feelings pass. And when they do it baffles me how I could not see my way out because now everything suddenly seems simpler and more obvious.
