[thelittlethings86]

In all of my research about manic cycles with bipolar disorder, it states that severe is 3-4 cycles a year. So my question is this...how long do these stinking cycles last? Because I have been manic since before Christmas with little to no relief.

[dragonfly2]

Rapid cycling is classified as four or more mood episode shifts in a year. Some people cycle much more frequently than that - weekly, daily, even multiple times throughout the day. Everyone's cycles are different. Some people will be manic for a few days and others for many months. And sometimes the same person can have different lengths of episodes.

So, I'm afraid there's really no good answer to your question. All you can do is try not to get any higher and work with your doc/therapist to help you come down.

[hanners]

I don't think it would be prudent to measure the severity by the number of episodes per year. Episodes vary in length with the rate of cycling, so Person A could have 1 manic episode that lasts 1 month and depression lasting the other 11. Person B could be a rapid cycler, having 5 manic episodes a year, about a week long each, and spending the rest of the time in depression.

Both people spend about the same amount of time in mania, and about the same amount of time in depression.

A better measure of severity would be how highs the highs are, and how low the lows are. The higher the range between the upper and lower limits, that's how severe it is.

Another measure could be the intensity of the symptoms.

[dragonfly2]

I agree, hanners. Severity and cycling are actually different diagnostic criteria (at least in the DSM IV). You could have someone who rapid cycles between hypomania and mild depression 8 times over the course of a year and it wouldn't be classified as particularly severe. But then you can have someone with only two mood shifts in a year, but who ranges from suicidal depression to florid psychotic mania. They would be classified as being severe. Bipolar is such an individualized illness. We're sort of like snowflakes that way.

[RapidFlyer]

I'd love to know the answer to that myself thelittlethings86. I have been manic since the beginning of December and I a have faithfully been working with my pdoc and T and I am still a long way from stable again.

My cycles used to be daily, then they became monthly, then yearly, then every other year, then every 2 or three years, But when manic hits it stays and stays and stays.

When the downswing hits, Well I don't want to think about that Miserable morass of putrid wasteland.

I never know the answer.

I only know the older I get, the more my hormones and body changes over time the more my Bi Polar changes with it.

My primary goal is to work with pdoc and T to stay out of the hospital if at all possible.

Good Luck. And if you find out the answer would you let me in on the secret?