I have a friend who has like solid six month cycles of either mania or bipolar. Her boyfriend and I figured out that a mania cycle was triggered by a trip to vegas. I loooove Vegas, so I pretty much go in realizing that I am going to have a minor manic episode (Lamictal works well but gives me little bumps and lows) and have strategies in advance for how I'm not going to lose a ridiculous amount of money.