Yay! Rapid-cycling
Okay, I wasn’t planning on writing again until Wednesday, but I figure that I should give you a taste of what it means when someone says they are rapid-cycling. Because I am bipolar 2, I spend the majority of my time in the depressed state With bipolar 2, the emotional roller-coaster doesn’t go as high, but it stays really low much longer.
So I started my hypomanic episode on Friday. I was okay at work today, but when I got off at midnight, suddenly everything changed and I cried all the way home. I had no reason to since work had gone well and I had felt productive. I just couldn’t stop crying. Now, some people only have insomnia when they are in a manic or hypomanic mood. Others, like me, can have insomnia no matter where we are on the emotional spectrum. So I can’t/don’t want to sleep. Maybe I will get sleepy in another hour.
theartistryofthebipolarbrain 
*hugs*
Thanks again! It’s nice to know sometimes that we are not alone in traveling this world with its murky fog, blinding sunlight, crystalline cold, and whispering rain.
You’ve just described today. High yesterday so couldn’t sleep, coming down this morning and by this afternoon constantly crying and sleeping. I thank heavens for a relatively short down cycle so I can back to (my) normal soon.
xx
Since my normal is depressed, I spend a lot of time there. Good luck reaching a stable place.
Rapid cycling is both hard to treat, and also very wearing on the one who suffers it. We all know about treatment-resistant bipolar depression, but I’ve just been working on an issue–like yours–much less addressed: treatment-resistant bipolar maintenance (often rapid cycling). Sounds like you get a breath of stabilized air–and then you’re off to the races again. You may have an excellent psychiatrist–and I hope you do–and know all about this, but I’m fascinated by my new research into the latest treatment for rapid cyclers and those whose moods can’t be maintained. There ARE choices out there–some sound kooky, but doesn’t swallowing a salt sound that way, too? Anyway, I did the research for the past week, and published the first part today of “Beyond ‘Beyond Lithium’–Treament-Resistant Bipolar Maintenance, Or Not Staying Put, Part I’s” at http://wp.me/p22afJ-Qs and Part II should be out tomorrow. Perhaps you and/or your readers can find something helpful in them. Meanwhile, certainly hope you managed to get some sleep! Wishing you health and stability, Candida
I’m following your blog, but I will definitely make the time to go over and read this. Thanks a lot!