Never had full-blown mania. I'm a rapid-cycling bipolar with existential depression. I'm like a fucking metronome with a 4 week cycle and, yes, I know exactly what that sounds like.
When I stare at people like this, I'm usually in my mind palace, working on a few projects, deciding what I want for dinner, fantasizing about getting bottomed by you, you know, important stuff.
That's why I ground myself in Buddhism and Taoism. It's just about the only thing keeping me here.