Patients with a mild manic episode are characterized by high mood, high energy, increased activity, irritability, high self-esteem, low need for sleep, and racing thoughts that last for at least several days.
This is sometimes misunderstood by those around them as a non-pathological condition, believing that the patient was born with high energy, a racing mind and a low need for sleep, but in fact most people with bipolar disorder spend most of their lifelong illness in asymptomatic and depressive phases. Therefore, even if a patient exhibits only manic or hypomanic episodes, aggressive medical intervention is still required.