by Kimberly Read
Rapid Cycling, as defined by the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV (DSM IV), occurs when a person experiences four or more mood swings or episodes in a twelve-month period. An episode can consist of depression, mania, hypomania, or even a mixed state. As per Mitzi Waltz in "Bipolar Disorders," women and children are more likely to be rapid cyclers. Expert Consensus states that 5-15 percent of those with bipolar disorder fit the criteria for rapid cycling.
The term "ultra-rapid cycling" may be applied to those who cycle through episodes within a month or less. If this pattern is demonstrated within a 24-hour period, the person's diagnosis could possibly be termed "ultra-ultra-rapid cycling" or "ultradian." Ultradian cycling is often difficult to differentiate from a mixed state.
According to Dr. Demitri Papolos, co-author of The Bipolar Child, the majority of children with bipolar disorder cycle very rapidly, some even alternating moods several times within one day.
