A 26-year-old female patient reports 1 week of an elevated and expansive mood. Along with other symptoms, evidence of which of the following would suggest she is experiencing a hypomanic, not a manic, episode?

Choice A reason: Decreased need for sleep can be present in both hypomania and mania; it does not differentiate the two. Choice B reason: Irritability is also common in both hypomanic and manic episodes and is not specific for hypomania. Choice C reason: Psychotic symptoms, such as delusions or hallucinations, are indicative of mania, not hypomania. Choice D reason: Increased productivity, heightened energy, and elevated mood without significant functional impairment or psychotic features suggest a hypomanic episode rather than full mania.