I was put on it in a mixed episode (my hypomania/mania was always dysphoric and agitated rather than euphoric). I was inpatient was on multiple meds; my mood stabilized fairly quickly but I don't think the initial improvement was really due to the lithium but rather due to the AP and AD I was on. I remember realizing the lithium kicked in really about about 4 or 5 weeks to be quite honest; it was something I remember suddenly recognizing as a change.