[Daonnachd]

The official diagnosis is bipolar. Ok, I'm beginning to believe it. The hard thing to deal with is a cycle which fairly dependably goes from anything happy or nearly happy to horribly depressed in the space of about 15-30 minutes. Up triggers down.

Anybody else have that happen? What's it called? Or am I a freak?

[slave_2010]

hi, I just walked in.

honestly, ultra rapid cycling really really sucks, I hate it. I am medicated, yet what I wouldn't give for one day that my moods aren't all over the place.

it will take a lot of work and it will be frustrating.

you are not a freak... you're brain is just wired differently

[~Christina]

When a person is first diagnosed Bipolar there moods are going to be off the charts all over the place.. Once a person finds stability then and only then should a Pdoc decide if they are rapid cycling or ultra rapid cycling which is very very rare to be honest. Many people say they rapid cycle when in fact they are spending lots of time in a mixed state.

Rapid cycling is more than 4 distinct episodes in a 12 month period..

Being manic today then depressed in 2 days them manic again ..is most likely Mixed and not rapid or ultra rapid cycling.. This is very confusing for many patients.

Until a person finds stability and stays there for weeks or months its really impossible to see a pattern.

I hope you find stability

[Daonnachd]

Thank you, Christina.

You're right in that this doesn't actually fit the true definition of rapid cycling. Clinically, this would likely fall more in the realm of a mixed episode, however, I can find examples of this pattern going back 30 years.

I'll explain with more detail what happens:
I finish an editing job. I feel good and proud. It's a success. 30 minutes later I'm on the edge of tears, depressed and doubting I have any real worth.

I laugh with the cashier as I'm paying for my groceries. As I start my car, I sob with the desire to cut myself open and dump the putrescence that is my soul onto the ground.

Real examples and I have hundreds more. It happens practically every day. So hard to deal with.

Hiya, I am from a different train of thought to Christina. I find many people who claim ultra rapid cycling tend to be reacting to triggers rather than an out of the blue mood episode. A trigger can be as simple as a thought and your mood can plummet. Best to talk to a therapist to sort out the triggers so you can better deal with them and not have unstable moods throughout the day.

If I claimed a mixed episode everytime I had a day like yours I would never be out of it EVER! My mixed are always pdoc diagnosed (as I tend to be on the lower side I think of it as depression but pdocs set me straight usually by a hospital admission) and tend to be dysphoric and dangerous. Everyone I have met (in real life) with mixed episodes has ended up inpatient as it is constant terribleness (for lack of a better term!)

But I am most certainly stable but stressed at the moment and I react to triggers- ie mood plummeted after being happy and talking to a neighbour. Neighbour had suggested to move my stuff to his shed.. all well and good but I got stressed out as I didnt have the physical strength to move things alone - so my mood dropped as the thought was "I am a failure". Now 3 hours later I am out of that mood with CBT techniques and distraction with other activities. That is NOT a bipolar mood cycle, simply me reacting to a trigger while distressed. Since I have the tools I have "stabilised" easily and moved on with my day. Can you relate?

[Row Jimmy]

I rapid cycle frequently, going through one right now. I had a good June but I've been pretty angry for the last few days. I feel myself coming down right now even though I can't sleep. If my history is accurate, then I should be OK for the next few weeks.

[Crazy Hitch]

Sorry to hear this vertigo

I can relate.

[Daonnachd]

@Supanova: You're right, it's not really a mixed episode. It seemed the closest comparison I could use. These are dangerous moments for me, though.

My question to all is: What do we call this? I don't believe there's anything in the DSM which addresses it. These are precipitous drops into depression and impossible to work myself out from, most strange because the stimulus is a positive experience. It's so sudden, I can't fight it.

Originally Posted by vertigo

@Supanova: You're right, it's not really a mixed episode. It seemed the closest comparison I could use. These are dangerous moments for me, though.

My question to all is: What do we call this? I don't believe there's anything in the DSM which addresses it. These are precipitous drops into depression and impossible to work myself out from, most strange because the stimulus is a positive experience. It's so sudden, I can't fight it.

Hi vertigo, I experience rapid cycling like clock work. Every 3 days I have a mood change or switch. This would be considered ultra rapid cycling. Here's a chart to show cycling.

[~Christina]

Supanova!!! Yes that ! I totally forgot that component when I responded .. Yes triggers Yes ! Thank you so much

Vertigo,

Im not sure there is a name for "it" after reading Supanova's response maybe "Situational Splat" ......Might be fitting?

[Moogieotter]

Supanova is smart. I enjoy this thread.

moogs

[Daonnachd]

I like the situational splat. The part I don't understand is why so many of my triggers are actually positive experiences.

Originally Posted by vertigo

I like the situational splat. The part I don't understand is why so many of my triggers are actually positive experiences.

I hear you.

For me personally in this situational stress I find that even after positive experiences my mood will drop - usually because of a thought that has triggered me and more often than not that thought (for me personally- yours may be different) is that "I have failed". It only needs to run through my mind once for it to trigger a mood disturbance. Usually now (with practice) I can catch the thought and challenge it before it makes me drop too much.

Are you ruminating causing your mood to drop after positive experiences? It is all about observing your thoughts and checking if they are infact causing this mood disturbance. This happens to me sometimes, not as much as it used to now but I could ruminate like noone else at some stages of my life!

Have you done any CBT? I can honestly say I use it every single day since I first did the group over 10 years ago. Sometimes its not as helpful but for little "blips" and anxiety it is fantastic to help get through and out before they spiral.