Are these mixed episodes?

I was wondering if anybody out there suffered from 'mixed' episodes and could tell me if what i get are similar.
I get really quite up phases where i'm talking really fast and jumping around and basically quite manic and I get very down phases where everything is my fault and the world would be better without me etc... but they often only last for between five/ten minutes and an hour and then i go to the complete opposite, for example the other day i had been feeling quite down for an hour or so and then, snap, got an up phase and then when my friend told me to sit down cos i was going to fast as soon as i hit the bench i suddenly went really really down and couldn't even answer him with more than a grunt and then ten minutes later i wasn't up or down but just normally chatting away with another friend... I get this sort of thing alot and sometimes i cant just cycle between up down and irritable moods every ten/twenty minutes for an entire day which is really quite unsettling and despair making... anyone experience similar?
Ty...

I have experienced that and still do. I'm bipolar, so that pretty much explains why. What I do is.. to just have a soothing music on my iPod ready so that when I get all hyped up and manic at times, I play the music and it somewhat cools me down.

Do you have any diagnosis?

<font color="purple">Clandestine</font>

Right now I'm dxed as in a mixed episode--moderate. That is where you have depression & mania or hypomania at the same time. Racing thoughts, little sleep, irritability, reckless behavior (like overspending), etc. & also have the classic symptoms of depression. To me it sounds like you are having rapid cycling where you go from depression to mania or hypomania. Have you been given a diagnosis? Are you under treatment?

My meds are in the process of being adjusted to try to get me more stable.--Suzy

As far as I know, and how my experiences are, mixed episodes are not about changing between (hypo)mania and depression, but a state where both are present at the same time. It is having very negative feelings, but still have energy (both physical and mental).

You feel irritaded, desperate, full of hate, nervous etc. and interacting with people becomes difficult (or at least it has concequences), because you are neither the quiet depressed one harming no-one actively, nor the supersocial and lovable one, but the worst possible combination created by picking features from both. When with people you act like a clever *****, have all these intelligent insults, which you say because you hate all people and don't want to avoid causing impact. You attack people even deliberately, maybe not because you think you are all powerful, but in your mind full of negative energy the others deserve it - you deserve their hate and despise once you are done with them. To some people you are not able to speak at all (or you should not) because you are so agressive that you know you are not able to answer nicely, no matter how much you try, and you don't want to hurt them because you love them (some other day). Alone you cannot stay still, but pace around the room as tense and desperate about life, and you want to scream and cry and want to smash things. You would like to crawl under the blankets and sleep forever but you cannot because you are too aggravated. The rage inside does not get out no matter how much you scream, insult, cry, smash, yell, run, tear. There is so much of it that it crushes everything else inside you and nothing else fits in the world.
Negative hype.

they could be , ,,

how long have you been aware of this?,, it may well be that you could be "over identifying", which is a problem in itself, try not to worry over it too much ,but seek some professional advice or opinion..

take care..

Thank you for your replies they've been quite helpful, in response too the couple of questions:
How long have I been aware of this? Er, well I've kinda had them for years but I only started kinda really noticing and thinking over them about two years ago.
Have I been diagnosed/Am I on treatment? No. I'm kinda a bit over cautious about talking to my mum or doctor about them because I'm not very up on talking to people I know and such and also whenever I plan to talk to mum about it I manage to convince myself out of it and that I'm just being silly.

My mixed episodes are quite literally having BOTH mania and depression at the same time. All I can do is sob and yet have racing thoughts - its quite immobilizing. My brain basically shuts down and I can't make heads or tails out of the way things "work". The rules of the world seem to not apply anymore. As opposed to purely mania, where I am really talkative, bouncy, or disassociated.