[Lobster Hands]

Just what the title asks...

I just ask because I have a gut feeling that I might be rapid cycling...But, when I think about it I just get lost.

[A Red Panda]

Sure. Rapid cycling just means that you have more episides in a year, so that often the episodes just don't last as long as someone who doesn't have rapid cycling.

Then again. Maybe not. Someone could not be rapid cycling but have a week of mania within a year and a month of depression. Someone with rapid cycling might have 3 occurances of (hypo)mania that last about a week each, and maybe 2 episodes of depression that last 2 months each. Or not! All rapid cycling means is that you have 4 or more episodes within a year.

You could still have very intense (hypo)manic episodes or very low depressions.

[Lobster Hands]

Originally Posted by A Red Panda

Sure. Rapid cycling just means that you have more episides in a year, so that often the episodes just don't last as long as someone who doesn't have rapid cycling.

Then again. Maybe not. Someone could not be rapid cycling but have a week of mania within a year and a month of depression. Someone with rapid cycling might have 3 occurances of (hypo)mania that last about a week each, and maybe 2 episodes of depression that last 2 months each. Or not! All rapid cycling means is that you have 4 or more episodes within a year.

You could still have very intense (hypo)manic episodes or very low depressions.

Thanks for that.

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[catsrhelm]

The moods are just as intense, it's just that there are more of them and more frequent.

[Lillyleaf]

Sometimes rapid cycling can be mixed up with a mixed episode. Usually if someone says "wow I'm up and down like one day after the next or from every hour" that is more a mixed episode then rapid cycling.

Best,

Lillyleaf

[vjdragonfly]

Originally Posted by A Red Panda

Sure. Rapid cycling just means that you have more episides in a year, so that often the episodes just don't last as long as someone who doesn't have rapid cycling.

Then again. Maybe not. Someone could not be rapid cycling but have a week of mania within a year and a month of depression. Someone with rapid cycling might have 3 occurances of (hypo)mania that last about a week each, and maybe 2 episodes of depression that last 2 months each. Or not! All rapid cycling means is that you have 4 or more episodes within a year.

You could still have very intense (hypo)manic episodes or very low depressions.

thanks for the info., I did not know that

[wildflowerchild25]

I tend to be very rapid cycling - each mood episode lasts for two to three weeks before wildly swinging into the next. If I'm not taking meds, of course. But they are all just as intense. Just shorter, which I guess is a plus, but it is tiring not knowing how you will feel upon waking.