Rapid cycling or mixed???

So long story short, I was diagnosed with bipolar by two psychiatrists and a social worker. However I’m unsure about the type of episodes I experience.

My hypomania is essentially starting out the day normal then going manic then exhausted and mildly depressed to manic again, everyday for 1 week so I cycle between the 2 or 3 moods a day, everyday for a week. Then I’ll crash into suicidal depression when the week is up. I am unsure if this can be classed as ultraradian cycling or a mixed episode. I know rapid cycling is supposedly “fake” but it is indeed real. I’ve seen many document their experiences with it and I also have a close friend with this classification. I see why people are skeptical about it (even I have my doubts) but bipolar just exists so differently for everyone. I also know most would suggest I have BPD instead but I have no relationship issues, identity issues and I only cycle between hypomania and baseline or depression this quickly.

So basically, anyone else have this and what is it?

I would personally say you're rapid cycling. My rapid cycling can go from "zip-zap" manic to depressed within an hour, sometimes less if it gets really bad. I don't think rapid cycling is fake, just from my own experiences. I've known people that also rapid cycle just as bad as I do.

Mixed moods are when you're both manic and depressed at the exact same time. I rarely have this, but I do get it from time to time. I've been pretty much bouncing off walls and suicidal at the same time. If these moods happen at different times, like you say yours do, then I'd say it's rapid cycling.

I rapid cycle in the traditional sense. Of a few month-long episodes of either mania or depression in a year. But I occasionally get the "all within a day" kind. I've also thought about how people would point towards BPD (of which I have a touch). My in a day rapid cycling style doesn't go: angry-sad-disappointed-frustrated-happy- then angry in the way classic BPD does. It goes: depressed when I wake up, and hypo/manic in the evening. Also, like you, I have no identity/relationship/abandonment issues.

Tyler wrote:I would personally say you're rapid cycling. My rapid cycling can go from "zip-zap" manic to depressed within an hour, sometimes less if it gets really bad. I don't think rapid cycling is fake, just from my own experiences. I've known people that also rapid cycle just as bad as I do.

Mixed moods are when you're both manic and depressed at the exact same time. I rarely have this, but I do get it from time to time. I've been pretty much bouncing off walls and suicidal at the same time. If these moods happen at different times, like you say yours do, then I'd say it's rapid cycling.

You’re right, it makes sense. Only reason I suspected Mixed was because I had heard mixed can appear as going from manic to depressed etc.

And that sounds tough, I hope you make it through. And thanks

-- Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:52 am --

Son wrote:I rapid cycle in the traditional sense. Of a few month-long episodes of either mania or depression in a year. But I occasionally get the "all within a day" kind. I've also thought about how people would point towards BPD (of which I have a touch). My in a day rapid cycling style doesn't go: angry-sad-disappointed-frustrated-happy- then angry in the way classic BPD does. It goes: depressed when I wake up, and hypo/manic in the evening. Also, like you, I have no identity/relationship/abandonment issues.

Sorry but I’m curious, if you don’t have those other issues of BPD then how were you diagnosed with BPD traits?

Also exactly. I used to have more reactive moods like the ones you made an example of before I was medicated which lead me to believe it was BPD originally until they said I was bipolar. This was different from my hypo>depression.

I just confronted my pdoc about my diagnosis because I related to a lot of BPD. She said she saw some parts of it in me... specifically emptiness, impulsivity, and splitting. So those are the traits.

Son wrote:I rapid cycle in the traditional sense. Of a few month-long episodes of either mania or depression in a year. But I occasionally get the "all within a day" kind. I've also thought about how people would point towards BPD (of which I have a touch). My in a day rapid cycling style doesn't go: angry-sad-disappointed-frustrated-happy- then angry in the way classic BPD does. It goes: depressed when I wake up, and hypo/manic in the evening. Also, like you, I have no identity/relationship/abandonment issues.

Sorry but I’m curious, if you don’t have those other issues of BPD then how were you diagnosed with BPD traits?

Also exactly. I used to have more reactive moods like the ones you made an example of before I was medicated which lead me to believe it was BPD originally until they said I was bipolar. This was different from my hypo>depression.

Pandabread68 wrote:

Son wrote:I rapid cycle in the traditional sense. Of a few month-long episodes of either mania or depression in a year. But I occasionally get the "all within a day" kind. I've also thought about how people would point towards BPD (of which I have a touch). My in a day rapid cycling style doesn't go: angry-sad-disappointed-frustrated-happy- then angry in the way classic BPD does. It goes: depressed when I wake up, and hypo/manic in the evening. Also, like you, I have no identity/relationship/abandonment issues.

Sorry but I’m curious, if you don’t have those other issues of BPD then how were you diagnosed with BPD traits?

Also exactly. I used to have more reactive moods like the ones you made an example of before I was medicated which lead me to believe it was BPD originally until they said I was bipolar. This was different from my hypo>depression.

Responded above. Basically, my pdoc said I meet enough of the criteria for "traits" but not enough for the full disorder.

This pattern of rapid cycling on the hour-by-hour basis is exactly what I had at the beginning of a months-long manic episode. Now, months later, i'm cycling again but on a day-to-day level. Could be related to starting new meds, maybe. What I do know is it's confusing and disorienting. I never know what i'm going to get that day when I wake up.