Rapid Cycling

Greetings everyone,

For a couple of days, I felt hyper, energetic and on top of the world. I was also hallucinating and feeling a bit off...so I knew I was having some manic symptoms. But I didn't care! I was just so happy to be feeling good.

Then yesterday, I crashed. I was so depressed, I self-injured and was having some intense suicidal thinking. Now today, I'm feeling like I have no purpose on this earth, no goals, nothing. I do not like switching so frequently between mania and depression. I actually prefer sticking with one for a long time....at least then I know what to expect!

I didn't know I was rapid cycling until I described to my nurse what was happening. She said she's seen many patients like me who change quickly between mania and depression.

This is more difficult, because I don't know what to expect day to day, even hour to hour! For those of you who cycle rapidly, what do you do to cope?

Melissa,

I can relate to the rapid cycling, feeling high and then crashing hard. Although when I cycle the high lasts more like hours not days, but the depression can last days. I have been in counseling and that has helped me to talk about the rapid cycling and anger issues. When I am on the up I get really agitated and angry I usually punch a pillow or something soft to get rid of that extra energy. Also exercise can help. I usually don't like being on the high side because it can be scary at times and same with the low end. The last time that I had a really bad crash I slept for like 4 hours and was back to normal again, which was strange that it happened so fast. I am continuing to talk to my counselor about the depression side and getting help to manage it. I hope that you seek some type of therapy and/or counseling because simply talking things out can really help.

I'm also looking in to some help with rapid cycling. I sometimes switch every few hours. Yesterday I had 6 ups and downs in the 14 hours I was awake.

I'm having similar problems right now; I was hypomanic for the past 3-4 days (with the high peaking last night, causing me to stay up to 5 AM) but this afternoon, I crashed out of nowhere. Now, I'm mostly low but I have random spikes of energy and elation that last for just minutes, or even seconds. I was recently diagnosed with BP II.

I don't have any advice, except to be gentle with yourself. This disorder plays with our mood and attention so much that it is easy to start believing that we'll never amount to anything. Depression will interrupt all of our plans, and everything we seem to be passionate about was really borne out of (hypo)mania.

These statements are lies. We are capable of much, and while our lives do not follow the same patterns as those of "healthy" individuals, we have certain advantages that arise from having to deal with our condition.

I wish I could help more. Stay strong!

This might sound crazy, but I actually try to enjoy it!

Try keep as much structure as you can in your day, especially around sleep, eating and exercise.
Kniw your limits and also what is considered normal for you. Don't cross any line towards either depression or hypomania; if you do-contact your pdoc