does general excitment cause feelings of mania?

Yes, excitement and overstimulation and get things go in the elevated mood direction. I won't tell you to avoid things that you are passionate about, things that excite you and make you happy!

When you know how you are affected, you can control you exposure to it to help stay stable. For example, shopping and visiting with friends causes and elevation in my mood. If I'm already elevated I will skip my shopping trip, cancel on friends (they are OK with it), and I might even refuse to take phone calls. If I'm feeling down I will go shopping even though it is the last thing I want to do.

Most of the time I do pretty well, I might have to modulate what I'm doing a bit. Like if I'm visiting a friend I might run an errand alone to calm down in the middle and come back afterwards.

(As usual) it sounds like you are very aware and taking good steps to stay healthy!

Chloe, that is great advice! JC, I tend to get the same way as you and I always used to run with it...and inevitably would say or do something stupid. I'll have to try to "cross-expose" myself like that....