[Blitter2014]

I spend most of my time in the depressive phase of BP2, and have only ever been manic for short periods of time when compared to the depression. What is normal, if that is a question that can be asked? (Ok I know there is no normal) But, I know there are people who deal with rapid cycling, and others who cycle slowly. For those who cycle slowly, how long between cycles? Weeks, Months, Years? Do you have smaller cycles within the big cycles - like where you might come out of your depression for a week /month but don't go into mania, and then return to depression?

I am having difficulties with my medications again, have been asked a plethora of questions by my psych team and am just trying to get a feel for how my bipolar relates to others.

[ozzy1313]

Since being medicated this past year my symptoms have become much more magnified. I think this is in part because the medicine is making me "normal" so when episodes hit they are much more noticeable. This past year I was stable for 9 months, hypo-ish for 5 months, depressed for 1-2 months, and now thanks to med changes I have been stable for about a month.

Before meds I would go from depressed, to angry, to normal but I never tracked it so I don't know time frames. I was usually in a constant state of pissed off. My hypo mainly shows itself as anger.

[Victoria'smom]

On medication I have longer, lighter cycles with less time in between. I start my hospital grade depression/mixed in November. Come March my mixed episode become life threatening, not always threatening to myself. April brings psychotic mania. June brings mixed. July I stable out till the October/November crash.

[HALLIEBETH87]

Mines unpredictable

[cashart10]

My bipolar had a span of 8 years of normalcy (with some mild episodes that I didn't even notice at the time and one postpartum depression). However, since my symptoms fully returned almost 3 years ago, I have either cycled like crazy (I am not labeled as a rapid cycles) or I have simply not recovered and my cycles are mixed. I have no idea. I know I had one extremely long depression but it seems instead if massive manias like I experienced in the past I am experiencing milder hypo manias more frequently.

I was only diagnosed when I was 43 yera old We took a good look at my history once with pdoc. She said I was bipolar in my teens and I cycle ~6 months hypomanic/manic and 6 months depressed with little or no normality in between. Its better with medication. I just didn't realise how boring being normal is.

[muffinhead]

For me, I think I cycle rapidly, about 7 days depressed and 2 days hypomanic. Now that I'm on antidepressants, though, the manic periods last about 5 days and the depressive ones 2.