I normally only have 2 a year (if that): spring or summer hypo/mania rears its head, then fall/winter at some point depression shows up for a visit. The intensity varies greatly. The mania side has toned down over the years whereas the depression has gotten deeper. I usually only suffer a reallly bad depression every 4-5 years. The other times it is only moderate at most. this is all in an unmedicated state.

Recently I have started Lithium in the wake of being on Paxil for a short time. Paxil launched a period of rapid-cycling for me. Now the rapid cycling has gone away and I am back to my normal self (not sure if that is because of the lithium or if I would be "normal" if unmedicated). I am so new to mood stabilizer I just don't have a lot of input about that yet.

I am not sure if I am bipolar 1 or 2. I never asked and pdoc didn't say anything other than bp. Early in my symptomatic years i seemed much more bp1 but there was alcohol involved so i am not sure if that is true or not, now that i am older it mostly seems bp2. i spend far more time depressed than hypo. depression last months on end for me 4-8 weeks when its "easy", and 6+months if it sucks. hypo/mania lasts at most 2 months but turns mixed right at the end usually (not sure if it is DSM mixed or just feels mixed). Again, i am not sure because i don't know if i get mania or just hypo...not sure where that line is entirely.