Sometimes I have lengthy episodes with the so-called 'traditional' patterns: hypomania, mania, mixed-mania, then a crash into a depression.

Within the past couple of years though, I do notice more cycling in between episodes than previously. I've felt manic and depressed all within one day....basically mixed symptoms and cycling where I feel sort of all over the place. Sometimes there's little triggers that might influence those changes though, but my response to very slight changes is always extreme.