I get mixed episodes often haha offending everyone here jk.

When I am "mixed" I am very manic usually, psychosis usually present, don't sleep for days, high energy, irritable, aggitated, and well it's just hellish. Mania definatly does not have to mean "happy".

I like to use the term episode because of a line in a movie " are you having a sode?" I dunno makes me smile. Episode to me is a severe mania or depression.

Cycling to me is the moving between either one episode to another or from stable to an episode. I don't like to use "cycle" because it reminds me of my monthly cycle and that's never happy. So wow, I just use words depending if the feel "happy". Ok.

My understanding is rapid cycling is four or more episodes in one year. Ultra rapid cycling would be within days, and Ultradian would be within a day.

I can usually tell my normal ups and downs from bipolar induced ups and downs. I don't include these as cycling. I think because when I do have an episode it is quite lengthy, usually months. And because the onset is usually very fast. Depression can be harder for me because it sometimes takes it's time setting in and also because I have tools I can use to cope. Then I question it sometimes.