I'm with u! Im on here typing now but in a few hours the light from the cell phone will be enough to agitate all hell out of me. Don't think my Lamictal (150mg) is working like it use to.
I at times can cycle too on a daily basis it’s very hard on my body overall. If you ever need a friend who can understand you let me know. Cause I can sure use one
StressedDepressedSlightlyaMess Yeet I at times can cycle too on a daily basis it’s very hard on my body overall. If you ever need someone to talk to that know what you’re going through let me know cause I could sure use a friend too that can understand me
That sounds so exhausting, how are you doing now 4 months later now? I don’t have rapid cycling, I just have 1-2 episodes a year but I have mixed episodes more than hypomania and whrn I am in a mixed episode I shift a lot in mania and depression. Hypomania usually last 2-3 weeks for me and is mild, mixed episodes feels like my head is going to explode and I started hitting my head in the wall because it was so so exhausting, my mood cycle happened so fast and it was like dizorganized thinking, rapid speech, laughing but crying, it was horrible and my thoughts were so negative. Now that I am out of it and hve been stable for some months im so happy and grateful. I usually start cycling for some reason in the fall and winter snd become stable in spring and summer.
Rapid cycling bipolar 2 is what I have. I have a couple different kinds of mania, irritable and euphoria where I get obsessed with business ideas or sex. Very good video. Thank you
I have 100% had Ultradian cycling. I was suicidal in the early part of the day, and then at night I thought I could cure cancer and conquer the world...
I go from suicidal and crying to super motivated, energetic and "wired" in a day. Usually I start the day depressed and then become what I think is hypomanic. But it can go the other way too. My sleep is BAD. I have no structure and often have a 30-40 hours awake with 10-12 hour sleep once a week. I take antidepressants and one anti-psychotic but its just shit anyways. Just started another type of anti-depressants so I have new hope :) My diagnoses has changed based on different opinions and its just stressfull :pp
I hope the new medication works better for you. I think it would be a good strategy for your doctor to aggressively address your sleep. Sleep deprivation fuels mania. I have a video coming up in a few weeks on bright light therapy for bipolar disorder. It's a relatively new recommendation.
@@DrTraceyMarks Thank you :) And I agree. I'm not able to stick to a routine on my own right now (which is what everyone tells me I "just" need to do.) I haven't heard of bright light therapy before. I turned on notifications so I won't miss it.
For me, antidepressants made my emotions go all over the place, especially SSRIs and SNRIs. When I didn't improve with an SNRI, my psychiatrist gave me Abilify, along with Lamictal, and Ambien. That made things 10 times worse. I stayed awake for three full days, had very severe anxiety, started vomiting each time I took my meds, and my suicidal thoughts got worse. I almost gave in to them, but, instead, I had my parents take me to a local hospital that had inpatient psychiatric care, realizing that I needed to come off my meds and start a new regimen in a closely monitored, stable environment. I also learned and practiced ways to calm myself so that I would have those skills out in the world. Now, I just take lithium carbonate and methylphenidate.
@@karadeniz5137 I feel you. Everyone constantly tells me to go to "just" sleep at the same time every day because it's "not that hard". To me it's unbelievably hard. I can prove mathematics equations but any kind of routine just seems impossible to me.
Ive read that some investigator found that anti depressants make other symptoms worse if they are taken all alone with bipolar, therefore needs to be a mix! I'm not a professional but just exposing what I've read! Hope you the best!!!
There's a brilliant documentary by Stephen Fry called 'the Secret Life of a Manic Depressive' where he interviews people with bipolar about their illness. Towards the end he asks them if it was possible to push a button and no longer have bipolar would they, finding the majority of people to say they wouldn't hit the button, rather remain bipolar. I have ultra rapid cycling and given the opportunity I would smash that button with a sledgehammer then drive over it in my car. URC is exhausting, dictates my life and worst of all forces my friends, family and most of all my children to see me at my worst far too often. Great video, thank you.
You make me finally understand what I am going through. It’s madness. I have been rapid cycling and I think it’s due to ptsd being triggered. But unfortunately I also have states where i ultra rapid cycle.
Thank you so much for this information. I was diagnosed as having bipolar 1 in September of this year, after 25 years of misdiagnosis. I've learned a lot in the past few months, but still have much to learn. I've been experiencing ultra rapid cycling and it's exhausting.
@JasonCleveland-ok2ge thanks for bringing me back to this comment! Five years later, I'm doing well. My med combo has been working for quite a while, and though I still have episodes, they are much milder and easier to manage. ☺️ I hope you're doing well, too!
I know this is three years old but my goodness this has helped me out tremendously! I didn’t realize I was rapid cycling in a day, much less that there was an official-unofficial term for it. Thank you!
Without my medication I can cycle every 15 minutes on a bad day, I literally swing. Thanks for the info it's helping my partner to understand me better🌞💕
Hey Lou. Hope this isnt too much to ask, but what medication do you get and how is your experience with it? My girlfriend has bipolar disorder and cycles multiple times a day. She is extremely sceptical of lithium and thinks it might only make things worse... I trie to be as supportive of her descision as possible, but it is a big burden on my mental health whenever she is so depressed. Its unbearable to see the person you love suffer so bad and feel completely helpless. I would apprecieate an answer a lot. I wish you and your partner the best of luck.
@@Arph105 Hey! I am by no means a professional but I can give you info based on my personal experiences. I am currently taking 200mg Quetiapine (or seroquel as i think its known in the US) which is an antipsychotic and helps a LOT, it helps with my mood swings and I'm on 45mg of mirtazapine which help with my depression side of things. Firstly I need to say that I think everyone is different and different things work for different people but this mix really helps me. Also it helps if others understand my triggers to begin with, for example, my triggers are feeling abandoned or rejected in ANY way(could be as small as my partner not being in the mood for sex one day), or my other main trigger is when somebody won't say sorry for hurting my feelings because "it isn't a big deal" (to them). So I think the first thing that would help is to work out what triggers her and why, together and try to diminish those. It is so awesome that you are looking into it as I personally think that will help you to understand her a lot better and it will show her that you are taking her illness seriously and that you WANT to help. So well done you! I hope this all made sense, I do recommend the pills I am on because they work for ME, but in a partnership I think the best thing you could possibly do is work out her triggers. Does her mood swing when she hasn't eaten much, if she has slept too long or too little, if she hasn't been outside for a few days, if her self esteem is particularly low that day, these are some to get you thinking. Loads of love to you both I really hope this helps!🌞😊💕
@@loulou1356 Thank you so much! I know most of her triggers as we have been together for almost 2 years now and she is very open about her illness with me. We both have tried a lot of things so far. But it took almost 1 and a half year to make her make appointments with a therapist. And the date for her first appointment is next juli... What a great healthcare this country has... We tried to get one a few months ago when things were really getting bad and suicidal thoughts kept coming, but even then they said she should be hospitalized or wait for an appointment... Mental health should be taken just as serious as "normal" injuries. Thank you for sharing your experience with your me. It helped a lot. Greetings from Germany ✌🏼🙃
I honestly can't thank you enough for this video. I have bipolar 2 and I shift during the day and this makes everything so easy to explain for family and friends, sending this video to them right now! Thank you.
I had a rapid cycling episode not too long ago, where I went from pure anger to being depressed and crying. Over a 10 minute period, I switched between both states 7 or 8 times. That was the scariest emotional ride I had ever experienced. In that moment of having no control over my feelings, the only thing I could think was “this is unbearable. I’d rather be dead than be this way.” I’m so glad that my roommate came home at the exact moment thoughts of suicide entered my head. I would not wish this on my worst enemy. Even though the anger or sadness states lasted anywhere between 30-90 seconds before switching again, this (super-saiyan ultradian, perhaps?) rapid cycling process felt like I would never be able to escape this infinitely repeating A-B loop unless I found a ‘stop’ or ‘eject’ button nearby. My psychiatrist didn’t really provide any useful information to me. Your videos have been very informative. Thank you for creating these. You have helped me understand quite a lot about myself and the many types of neurodiversities (I don’t like to call them illnesses/diseases). What you call a rapid cycling where a person goes through both extremes several times over a period of 15 minutes? I was diagnosed with ADHD and bipolar II (previously depression) about a decade ago. I have seen your video about BPD and adhd comorbidity. I have yet to find a medication that works for me. I had Ativan briefly, which helped me when I took it only when I absolutely needed it. I made the 30 pill supply last one full year - mainly because I do not see pills as the only solution. Especially, when these neurodiversity ‘spectrums’ and their treatments are relatively new concepts. Sorry, I am done being a guinea pig for newer pharmaceuticals. My doctor gave me a sample of Vraylar about a month ago. One of its potential long term side effects is Parkinson’s disease-like symptoms. I lasted about 4 days on Vraylar because the negative side effects were too much for me and the people around me to deal with. On a brighter note.. when I was on the med, I was incapable of exploring any thoughts related to suicide. I use this test every time I’m given a new prescription because I have taken a few meds that worked great, until my suicidal thoughts came back by complete surprise, exponentially stronger than before. (I’ve tried at least 15-25 different types of medications for treatment.)
Thank you Dr. Marks for this video. I have been all over the place with my ups & downs. Just thought it was my usual roller coaster ride. I never thought I was a rapid cycler until recently & watching this video nailed it. I was misdiagnosed for years & finally diagnosed as bipolar 2 but not as a rapid cycler. This helps me to understand what’s going on with me & maybe need adjustments on meds to help. Thanks again!
Mello Mentoring I’m taking lithium orotate & also Empowerplus from true hope. I didn’t realize I was rapid cycling so talked to my therapist & needed to adjust when I’m taking them & how much I’m taking. Hopefully this will do the trick. Thank you so much for your suggestions. I appreciate any & all help.
Mello Mentoring yes I’m always interested in supplements that are helping others. I just added GabaMax to my routine. I’m hoping along with melatonin that will help me sleep. Thank you!
Thank you so very much for this, I REALLY felt this needed to be shared to Facebook so that the people that know me/care about me can try to understand what we go through. There is nothing worse than people not understanding why I am the way I am and in this day & age it shocks me how ignorant folks can be to this, so THANK YOU WITH ALL OF MY HEART!! Been suicidal then SUPER hyper happy daily for few weeks now and feels like people just think I'm a fucked up recovering addict that's just selfish and it breaks my bloody heart as well as extremely frustrating!! Again, thank you, thank you, thank you XxX
LOL! I actually had/have one that I did 2014-2015. It's called Beyond Burnout. It's designed for working moms. I turned a few of the episodes into RUclips videos, but it's a different style and different focus. I podfaded and just dropped off the map when I got too busy with work. But I left them up in Itunes/Stitcher and I think Google play. I was just thinking a few days ago about when to pull the plug on it. I decided to leave it for a while. So it's funny that you bring this up today. 🙂
Hands down.. one of the best I've seen on the topic. I'm not sure any professional in Western Australia would even know where to start with this (these) topic(s). Thanks Dr. Tracy Marks. Keep up the good stuff. I always enjoy your updates.
I’ve dealt with ultra ultra rapid cycling ever since I was 12 or 13, it started out minor then got worse over time. My state would change entirely even on a same day. I felt like I had completely different personalities depending on my energy level. I felt totally out of control and was losing all hope when my antidepressants were only making my depressive episodes worse. Only now, at 18 years of age, did I find the right medication for me (lamotrigine) and I finally feel like I know who I am. I am so so grateful for meeting my current psychiatrist and I have so much hope for my future, something I NEVER imagined for myself as recently as only a few months ago.
heyy! I have a similar condition and I am considering lamotrigine. Could you provide an update on how things are going? I'd love to hear how things are with you
@@SiddiqueSukdiki Of course! I’m still doing very well, lamotrigine was a lifesaver figuratively and literally. I feel like a “normal person”, if you know what I mean. Like, I feel truly stable (even though I may have slight episodes of depression or hypomania, I can usually tell when they’re about to come and they aren’t as strong and I can control my actions during instead of letting my emotions take over). Lamotrigine was amazing for me, if you try it out please do let me know how it goes :) I think lamotrigine was especially effective in my case because it’s an anticonvulsant and my family has a history of epilepsy. I’ve read papers on how bipolar disorder has a bit to do with epilepsy in some cases so probably that’s sort of what was going on in my brain, like “seizures” but in the area of my brain that controls mood and not the area that controls movement. So, yeah! Quite interesting and nuanced. Anyways, I recommend trying it out and seeing how it goes! Especially if you have mostly depressive symptoms. I hope it works as well for you as it did for me ❤️
@@SiddiqueSukdiki For example, not only would I have trouble with mood shifts but I also struggled with depersonalization and derealization sometimes (I’d feel like I was leaving my body or I’d look as my arm and feel like it wasn’t mine or I’d feel like things around me looked weird). This lead my psychiatrist to believe that I may have traces of borderline personality disorder since I had the cycling between moods and trouble with self identity and many others. Later I researched and depersonalization is actually a symptom of epilepsy, too, my aunt would feel it before seizures or even out of nowhere. I thought that was interesting. With the improvement of all my symptoms after switching to lamotrigine my psychiatrist changed my diagnosis to bipolar disorder type 2. Just a little extra observation hahaha
@@JAUNEtheLOCKE I used to have mixed states and multiple manic episodes a day. I was able to get out of it without medication by focusing on actively trying to control my mood. As I did that, the cycle period duration increased and the intensity of the episodes were reduced. However, recently some stressors and unfortunate events triggered my instability and my mood shifts got quicker and harder. My GP wouldn't prescribe me anything and told me to wait to see a psychiatrist, which took nearly 2 months. In that time my mood has devolved to having an episode about once a day, manic one day and low the next. I asked my psychiatrist a last week for a low dose of fluoxetine (an SSRI) because I felt like I could handle suppressing my episodes, and with the overall rise in mood from the SSRI, I should be able to improve. I have picked it up today, but within that week, my state had devolved to what it is now. Now I regret asking for fluoxetine, because that would make my highs a bit higher and lows possibly a bit lower, which may not have been such an issue before as I could mentally work on controlling my mood, but with my mood shifts being this bad now, I think that's too much for me. So, I'll speak to him on Monday and request Lamotrigine haha. I don't know anyone else who understands what something like this is like, and only 1 person other than my psychiatrist and my ex therapist knows about this. It can feel very isolating, so it's nice to chat with someone who understands or knows what it feels like. I'll keep you updated on how things turn out. Hopefully lamotrigine works! :)
@@SiddiqueSukdiki I get you so much and I really understand that feeling of loneliness and like you can’t properly share all that’s going on in your brain (the good and the bad) without being treated like a crazy person. SSRIs are usually not very good for people with bipolar disorder because it can trigger cycling and heighten the highs, that’s what happened to me when I was taking duloxetine, I got even worse than when I wasn’t taking the meds. I started getting more “what’s the point?” and blindly acting on my emotions and energy levels. I really hope lamotrigine helps you out as much as it helped me! A big hug to you ❤️
When my doctor said Ultrainian I said "Is that like Adamantium or vibranium? A metal in comic books by Marvel." He just shifted his head then said " vibranium? That's a thing? We both started laughing. Love my doctor!
Thank you so much for your videos. I am very cautious about what I watch online because a lot of it is utter nonsense but your videos are sensible, clear, and accurate. I see a psychiatrist once a month and have been doing this a long time but it is good to get refreshers and explanations from a different point of view. I think having insight into having a mental health issue is one of the most helpful things to stay healthy. Over the course of the 25 years since my diagnosis and subsequent treatment their have been life changes and hormonal changes that I think have impacted how I deal with bipolar disorder. At the moment I am caring for a very ill husband. My sleep is often interrupted and night is sometimes turned into day. It was a good reminder that sleep and routine in very important.
You’re welcome Christine. What a thoughtful comment. I'm glad my videos resonate with you and serve as Refreshers . Yes bipolar disorder can shift in the way it looks over the years with age and hormonal changes. I'm glad you've kept your care consistent with your doctor. Thatd great. I wish you the best.
Hi. Thank you for your comment. I appreciate your story. I'm older too. 55. I took care of both of my parents. It was exhausting. Mentally and physically. I finally had to get visiting nurses in here and aids to help. It was still hard. Much better but Still very demanding. I loved them so it was what i did. There's a lot of help out there. Just say goodbye to the ones that want your house! Not all do. So, i appreciated your point about routines. Sleep. Sleep is very good. I don't get restful sleep and wake up feeling like a million bucks. But, being older i can also appreciate the better understanding i have about myself and my disorder symptoms. I related to everything you said and wanted to say thank you.
Hello Dr. Writing to you from Israel. the world of psychiatry very fascinates, I read about and watch many videos on these subjects I even learn these stuff over and over again. from watching many dr.'s videos - you are the very best without a doubt. you make your video short and concise. you explain the easiest way for all of us to understand. I think the minimal graphic design and editing it's the right amount and keeps you concentrated on the subject. tank you for answering to every comment it makes us feel valuable.
Thank you for this video! It's the best explanation that I can found on the whole Internet. After research I see that I need to stop taking antidepressants, cause my cycles became so much faster.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you so very much Dr. Tracey Marks for this video!!! I have been searching the internet for so long for information about ultra ultra rapid cycling and ultradian! I will watch this video again to understand better, because of a lot of information. Maybe you could make another video about ultra ultra rapid cycling and ultradian? There is so little information to find about this. I will now watch the video you recommended about borderline personality disorder. I have watched several of your videos to understand better bipolar 2. I was so grateful when I found your channel and I watched one of your videos about bipolar 2 vs bipolar 1. I cried when I watched the video, because I found answers I have wondered about almost all my life. Thank you so much for making these videos and for sharing them! I send you all my best wishes! And I wish you and everybody else that is watching your videos a very nice Holiday Season and a Happy New Year! : )
@@DrTraceyMarks Oh, your video did not have too much information! Your video is perfect in length and the amount of information. Not too much, not too little. I just watch videos I like several times, and also I am slow in my head, so I need to watch several times to understand better, and to remember! Thank you so much! : )
@@43110s Hi Paynes. I do the same where I rewind videos several times to remember and get a better understanding. My family and friends get so mad at me when I do this. Could this also be a sign of bipolar disorder? Are you diagnosed with bipolar?
Amazing video. I have bipolar type 2 with rapid cycling and I fixate on my career or surrounding myself with groups of strangers. I also become convinced that I need to be single for whatever reason. My poor partner. Theyre so patient.
I'm showing this to my doctor. I thought I wasn't bipolar, that they were wrong. I really want to understand and get better. This video was so clear. Thank you!
Dear Dr. Marks, You are an awesome person. I really like what you're doing. I'm in the middle of working on my master thesis about bipolar disorder and you helped me understand some unclear terms and definitions. You really kicked me to work. :D Can you please post to comment some of research studies you spoke about in this video? I appreciate every article you recommend to read . :) Keep going and have a nice day, Anna F.
Thanks so much for this feedback is very motivating for me to know how the videos are helping you. Good luck with your master's thesis.I usually put preferences in the description but sometimes I forget and leave them out. Here are two articles I used to prepare this video. Article about the number of episodes per year Angst J and Sellaro R. Historical perspectives and natural history of bipolar disorder Biol Psychiatry 2000: 48(6): 445-457. www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006322300009094 This article may only be accessible through a subscription - Bipolar Disorder A Critical Look: Key factors help differentiate mood shifts in BD from other types of affective lability Current Psychiatry, Vol. 10, No. 12, Dec 2011
Thank you for explaining the difference between emotion changes and mood switches. I have been experiencing mood shifts for a while and didn’t know how to explain it in a way that distinguishes it from emotions. I knew it couldn’t be as simple as just being really happy or being really sad. This is because I would go from having suicidal thoughts, feeling slowed down, and disconnected to being energetic, motivated, talking really a lot and really fast, and feeling like my thoughts are going so fast that I can’t even focus or sit still. But this will happen within the same week or month so I was always confused. I also noticed things have been worse in recent years and my circadian rhythm was also disrupted around the same time it started getting worse. But it’s honestly kind of hard to remember how I was before it was disrupted because that was a few years ago at this point… I will look more into this categorization of bipolar and maybe see a doctor about it.
My bipolar 1 rapid cycling is about 1 week for either mixed episodes or mania and then 1 to 2 weeks of depression almost like clockwork. I was just hospitalized 2 months ago and I've been in Intensive Outpatient Therapy. I'm learning how to cope with all of these episodes. Thank you for working so hard and teaching us so much. I've been experiencing mania for the past 6 days. I've only slept 3 to 4 hours each night. I'm using the coping skills that I'm being taught in therapy. They are helping. It's hard but I'm trying
Thanks for this video Dr. Marks. I was diagnosed with Rapid Cycling Bi-Polar Disorder and BPD over 20 years ago. A few years later I had my Right Temporal Lobe/Hippocampus re-sectioned and my Amygdala removed. I suffered from intractable Right Temporal Lobe Epilepsy and needed this procedure to control the Grand Mal Seizures. I do take long term maintenance meds and haven't had seizures since. I became a different person after this. Over the years, I was also diagnosed with Schizoid and Dissociative Identity Disorder ( De-Personalization/De-Realization disorder). For extended periods of time (years) I alternate between raging BPD and then extremely SPD. I'm mostly disconnected from my surroundings and myself a good part of my life. (this time around, for the past 3 years at least) It's exhausting. I've also had instances of being all of these at once. It's confusing beyond belief and I spend a good part of my days being painfully, yet mindfully aware of myself and surroundings just to make it through the day. It feels as though I am on the outside looking in most of the time. It's as though I alternate between being separate and different people and it's confusing, empty, numb and frightening at the same time. My Psychiatrist and Therapist have been very good to me and have helped me get through some of the worst. I meditate sometimes, but I tend to dissociate and "lose" time. It's exhausting and frightening. I feel drained, dead, empty and numb inside. Dr. Marks, is it common for people to be so fractured after the kind of brain and mental health issues I've had. Perhaps you could do a video about co-morbidity of BPD, Schizoid, DID. I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks, Zed
Hi Zed. For sure, that kind of surgery and a seizure disorder can cause all kind of psychiatric symptoms. Usually we would call it mood disorder or psychotic disorder due to a general medical condition - assuming the medical conditions (seizures and surgery came first). It's similar to someone having psychiatric manifestations from a traumatic brain injury. Schizoid personality is not a common co-morbidity with bipolar d/o. Also, personality disorder develop in late adolescence/early adulthood. Personality changes that come in the context of a brain injury or surgery wouldn't really be considered that same personality disorder that is part of your hardwiring. But - you've got a lot going on. I'm glad you have good support from your treaters to help you manage things.
Dr. Marks, Thanks for the response. I was diagnosed in my early 20's (21) with rapid cycling bipolar and BPD, well before the Seizures started and I had the Surgery . The surgery happened in my late 20's (29) and that's when everything changed. After the removal of my amygdala, I was also diagnosed with Schizoid PD and DR/DP. It's the to and fro that's frightening and not being able to remember things is exhausting. The dissociation/"unreal" feelings and feeling as though I'm different persons is exhausting. As for "losing time", a few years ago, I lived in NYC and one afternoon I just got in my car and drove all the way to Boston, Mass. I came to the next day and don't remember doing all of that. I was in Boston and didn't know how and why I was there. It's tough keeping up with the changes. Thankfully, I stick close to home these days and don't travel much. I manage, but it's still "weird" and worrying . Since there have so many changes over time, my Dr. now lists my diagnosis as PD not otherwise specified. I've been medicated to the gills over the years, but much of it hasn't worked. Dr. Marks, is there much that can be done about the de-personalization/de-realization, losing time and not being able to remember it? It wasn't the only time that this had happened to me. Thank you again, Zed
This is not mood...... This is ur emotional state.... Mood in psychiatry refers to energetic shifts .....u don't cycle this fast lmfao..... trust me.... U and everyone else in the comments seem to think they r rarities and have energetic mood shifts every two minutes.... If this were true...pretty sure the medical community would have recognized it as fairly common by now... U guys r talking about emotional shifts not mood shifts...
Thank you so much for your videos. I've only recently come to terms with accepting my diagnosis and your videos have affirmed my experiences and helped my understanding of this illness. Thank you!!!! ;~;
I know it's been a while since this video was released, but this leaves so much room for introspection! Sometimes it's so hard to cope with how abstract and subjective psychology can be. From my understanding it seems like Bipolar is a lot more biologically based than BPD, whereas BPD is biological, but heavily based on cirumstantial environments. Therefore, it seems like BPD cases could maybe be more correlated to current events maybe? Yet both disorders have more or less similar medications. It makes sense that there's a lot more visibility about Bipolar since it has been studied for longer (i.e. manic depression), but sometimes I wish I had more answers. For me, BPD had been the consensus for a while--I had sort of pushed the idea myself on psychiatrists because I was googling about my rapid mood changes. I even stayed at New York Presbyterian Westchester, the BPD center capital so to speak, and they definitely thought I had a personality disorder. I was lucky enough to go to an intensive outpatient program in Austin, Texas last summer and throughout the entire time they were suggesting that I actually in fact had Bipolar. That didn't sit right with me. I feel like I hardly display the longevity that Bipolar I or II episodes can last. Now that I've heard about Ultradian, I'm a bit more confused. I think a common trait of BPD is feeling like it's not real, or that we're making it up, but you also have to remind yourself that techinically it doesn't exist. They're more like descriptive umbrellas that describe common symptoms that fluctuate as time progresses and research continues. I don't want to have to be one of those people whose illness chart looks like a grocery list. I partly feel like something is not right with my diagnoses since SSRI's didn't work for me, but historically, neither did mood stabilizers or antispychotics (god willing, I'm testing Seroquel out now). As I've gotten older I have come to see how everything in life is so incredibly nuanced. Everything is on a spectrum-- sexuality, gender, quantum mechanics, emotions, mental illness, light particles/waves, Schrodingers equations that show that there is so many different combinations of 1's and 0's. I know I sit somewhere on a spectrum of BPD, and maybe I have a spot amongst the Bipolar spectra? Who knows. I just wish I had better graphical and data based information, something that could take my chromosomes and past traumas into account. Something physical to prove what other people can't see would be so nice.
Thank you so much for this, after watching this video I learned many new things. When I was young I had 2-3 mood states per month, and in my country I got the diagnose of type 1 with rapid cycling. I have been wondering why I don't ever go back to rapid cycling when I'm off one of the two mood stabilizers I'm taking. So it would require being off both. And I'm glad my doctor "banned" me working night shifts... 15 years and still learning, I guess :)
Like some here I can cycle within a few days or even over a single day. Going to bed at the same time every day is so helpful; if I am wide awake an hour before the alarm goes off the in the morning and can’t stay still, I am on “red alert” about trusting my thoughts or making decisions. I have a rule with my spouse that if I’m sleeping less or being weird I have to listen to him and talk to my dr. It is very helpful to realize you CAN control a lot of your symptoms and stop the progression by saying “no” to your own mind like a parent would to a child who is over-excited or wants to do something that will harm them!
Thank you Dr. Parks. There is so little info out there about BP or Rapid Cycling. My partner was diagnosed with a severe case of bi-polar 1 for at least 2 decades that included several stints in institutions, some as long as 1 year. He's run the gamut of meds, most have no effect, or even worse, bizarre effects. He has self taught many coping mechanisms including martial arts, training hard on a bi-cycle for 30-100 miles a day sometimes, meditating in full sunshine, writing in journals, balancing a jug of water for many minutes at a time to get his mind to focus on just that - keeping the water level - in order to tune out the other seven channels he says are playing in his head. These all have varying levels of positive effect, however now we are experiencing a new thing: Rapid cycling, or Ultradian as you describe. It's been happening for about a year now. He wakes in the morning (often with very little or no sleep, just physical rest while his mind is still going a million miles a minute) and I can visibly observe when his brain chemicals, serotonin, norepinephrine, adrenaline, are going up up up so rapidly it's difficult to imagine or describe. Within minutes he is so manic, he is difficult to interact with at all. I've measured his heart rate and it is soaring. His hands and his head are warm, even hot to the touch. In his mania he begins building all kinds of meaningless stuff, listens to music at ear-piercing levels, plays his bells and/or drums without any cognizable rhythm. At this time it is most dangerous to interact with him. The slightest thing can send him into moments of paranoia or out right rage that are completely illogical, but he cannot control. A little while later, by about 11:00 am, he "crashes" somewhat. Realizes he's been outrageously mean, destructive, and paranoid. The crash comes with lowered heart rate and body temperature. He broods (but rarely sleeps) through this stage, often sobbing uncontrollably for a while, then slowly comes out of that phase and into a phase of severe anxiety. Unable to breath calmly, hyperventilating, again with an even more rapid heartbeat. I massage him to help calm him down. After an hour or so, this too passes, then the mania, this time accompanied with feelings of euphoria and moments of brilliant streaks of creativity take over. Doc, I've never seen anything like it. I'm well educated, though not a doctor myself (I'm a lawyer/consultant by trade) and I love this man. I want to help him but his many bouts with pharma drugs either do not help his condition or often worsen it. He is a smart guy. He knows this is happening - especially after a particularly brutal cycle - but he can't stop or control any of it. He can talk about it lucidly afterwards, but can't keep the next cycle from starting again. I'm researching rapid cycling and there is so little written about it, I actually resorted to RUclips just to see if there was anyone else out there with this condition. Can you help us? Are there any scholarly journals published on the matter that I can read? Any psychiatrists that you know of specializing in this rapid cycling who might be willing to do a case study or maybe even just answer a few questions? I fear the next step in this progression will not end well for either of us if we can't get some help to figure this out. Please point me in the right direction. And again, thank you for posting even this short video.
hi Michael I don't have a psychiatrist to suggest, But as far as information if you go to the national Center for biotechnology information website and search under "PMC" you'll find lots of free fulltext articles that you can read. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ WebMD may also have some useful information
Thanks for this video. I have a very close relative who is bipolar and has had rapid cycling. It was very hard to to deal with as they were hesitant to give that diagnosis to a young person. This let to be prescribed antidepresants that seemed to make it worse and ultimately not helping.
Not a word of dissociation is mentioned. That should be added when PTSD was mentioned. As a retired psychiatrist I have been fooled in a case of dissociative identity disorder, and I mis-diagnosed the patient as suffering from a textbook case of bipolar.
I always thought the DSM V was for the initial diagnosis in which symptoms must last a specified period of time. I always thought rapid cycling happened over time as the Bipolar illness progresses. Like being on meds affecting duration and frequency of episodes for example. Love your videos! ❤
Thank you Haley. Sometimes it can happen that after years of having bipolar disorder your condition can worsen in a way that it cycles rapidly or you have mixed symptoms. But that’s not always the case. in other words it can be a progression of your illness or people can start out with rapid cycling or mixed episodes early on.
I’m convinced bipolar has to have some type of relationship to our thyroid. If you’ve ever felt a hyper thyroid and or a hypo thyroid it can have many of the same symptoms. I wish we had more information.
I agree, I keep asking to have my thyroid tested but my doc keeps telling me it's fine. But my Mom is Bi-polar 2 and her thyroid was in the normal range but they treated her for her symptoms anyway and she got a lot better
Thyroid issues was one of the things I was checked for years ago before my long list of incorrect diagnoses like depression, BPd, schizotypal, depression again, it was ultimately the treatment for my depression with ssris that led to a definitive diagnoses again of bipolar due to the manic and psychotic effects those particular meds were having on me.
@vincesza8464 Yea, my treatment is a bit unconventional to most as I'm intolerant of antipsychotics as they do something weird to my heart rythm. It used to just be intervention and talking therapy but now for the past few years and under a specialist consultant and in conjuction with CBT I'm stabilised with cannabis but even that took a while to dial in the right strain and type as quite a few made me anxious, lazy or exhagerated my symptoms . It basically instantly stops my multiple thoughts and ideas racing and filters the mind chatter out, it also helps me sleep and lifts my mood when I feel like I'm heading in the pit.
I have a DX of BP1 w/ PTSD, as I do have the "cycles," however, I also experience ultradian cycling. Within one afternoon I had a REVELATION, i had connected ALL THE DOTS and was euphoric, through the moon, and driven to take massive action. A mere few hours later I was in complete despair and didn't want to exist anymore. It was at that moment I knew I needed help. 2 weeks later I got my DX, and medication is going so far so good. I actually.. function now. Before I was a mess that merely thought I was productive when I was manic.
I have rapid cycles in one day, it is extremely exhausting i have yet to be diagnosed my dr is sending me in the next week ..... as i have been extremely depressed lately ... i thought this was how everyone was and it makes sense looking back that i have had bipolar type 2 my whole life your videos have been extremely helpful in breaking down the differences between 1 and 2 and hypomania and mania so thank you
I have schizoaffective bipolar 2 type with rapid cycling. I can be depresse for weeks then switch to hypomania within a 6-8 week period with 7-10 episodes per year. I finally have a cocktail of meds that is stabilizing me. It's like the light at the end of a 30 year tunnel!
thank you so much for making a video clearly defining and discussing the different types of rapid cycling. i've seen conflicting information and this video cleared up my confusion.
If people are unable to get a good home, a solid supportive place, to live and work from.... figuring all of this out for an individual that's just trying to survive and get some peace this side of heaven is tough.... but I know my friend is strong inside, too.
I've been clean and sober for 17 year's the day after I got out of treatment I was sitting in a mental health facility. After 17 year's of diagnosis I got a Doctor who diagnosed me with bi-polar last week. I've been researching it and it fits... so I'm relieved but just starting on the meds and I can go three days easy no sleep miserable. A lot of anger depression just a message. Yes I've been in therapy to. Help! Thanks
Thank you for this video. My therapist has suspected that I am Bi-polar 2. I see a psychiatric nurse next month for evaluation. I feel like I’m going mad. I can be really happy and giddy while being irritable and angry to depressed and crying in a day. Like today. I’ve been charting my moods and I usually have 3-4 days in a super good mood with or without having anxiety/anger/depression then it’s anxiety/anger/depression for 3-4 days. It’s exhausting and maddening.
I have aprox 1 to 4 weeks of hypomania, and 2 weeks to a month of depression. Sprinkled in those days are mixed episodes. I'm taking my meds as as prescribed. I use the tools I've been given, but there are times throughout the month, I feel like I can't take it. Love on your bipolar people. We need love that knows what they are getting into by researching bipolar. We are worth the ride
For a year my therapist and I went back and forth on what was causing my massage mood swings. She thought.. like a therapist a few years ago, that it might be borderline personality disorder. But it didn't fit exactly. She dismissed the idea of bipolar based solely on how short my manic episodes were. I'm so glad I pushed to get more diagnostic testing done, because last year was hell. Now that I know what I was experiencing was Bipolar Type 1 with rapid cycling I know that those mindfulness exercises didn't work, because they couldn't have worked. I am starting medication. I have hope. I think that I might eventually be able to maintain a job again.
Holy cannoli well that makes a lot of sense!! I’m bipolar 1 and I was on an anti depressant+an anti psychotic for about two years and had so so so many issues with ultra rapid cycling and bouncing back and forth between ideas of grandeur and being invincible going a billion miles a minute to the most depressed and suicidal I’ve ever been and slow as a sloth🦥
Ive been on a few different meds for my bipolar. Im finally about to go back and try again. My mood is just all over the place 24/7. I run a business and being bp1 makes it nearly impossible. If i wasnt mostly hypomanic it would have died awhile ago but when im on, its like i can walk circles around 99% of people. This is also why ive waited so long to go back again. Hypomania is a super power and I think lots of people will agree. The other side is awful.
I agree! I wish the dipper power can last forever. Depression is so awful. I’m just wasting away days waiting to be manic again so I can get some relief and finally get things done. I hate this brain….
I wish I had found this video earlier, then my correct diagnosis would have been detected earlier and treated earlier as well. Since 2014 I would at least go with 4 depressive episodes and I tried to find a pattern on the dates thinking it might be related to my PMS or I might have SAD but it never matched. It was until 2015 where I noticed that my depressive episodes cycled weekly, meaning it would switch with me being depressed for a week or more and then being "productive" for a week. It became so frequent that whenever I noticed I was becoming more productive, taking in more tasks and feeling like I could do more work, I also became so afraid because it would mean that the "next one" will be me being depressed and that hit me harder because I wouldn't even be able to function which also made me depressed more quickly. Had I known I was cycling between depressive episodes and hypomania, and got treatment for it, my undergrad experience might have been less miserable. I only got diagnosed with major depressive disorder this year but after seeing another psychiatrist and finding out that I also had bouts of intense irritability as well as impulsivity, even with an antidepressant, I was finally diagnosed with bipolar disorder type 2.
Hi W. Unfortunately you're not the only one who has a similar story of going several years with it not being clear what the problem is. I'm glad you know now so you can be on your way toward treatment that helps you.
I believe I’m Bipolar 2 Ultra Rapid Cycling. Within the course of a week I’ve gone from hypomania to a complete depressive crash back to hypomania. It’s exhausting.
Good info. I despite years ago having worked as a case manager for dually diagnosed adults with developmental disabilities and major mental illness and substance use disordered for several years. I still see bipolar 2 and especially confuse rapid cycling mood with borderline and related clustered B personality traits. Perhaps no wonder in that all and some disorders can be present any way given when disorderes start in persons history. So more than ever good reason to read a fairly up to date assessment.
Wow... my Doc is just now starting to take a look at a bipolar diagnosis (I'm with the Veterans Healthcare system) - but, when Doctor Marks starts going into about shiftwork, etc. @ 3:25 - I worked policing for 20 years - the *vast* majority of that being on 12 hour (usually 6AM to 6PM) shifts that rotated from day shift to night shift, monthly. Add in time for "belting-up" and pre-shift briefing, to End Tour of Duty - easily 13 hour days. More calendar days off, but always 40+ hours/week. Days/Nights/Days/Nights... on dayshift, I drag ass. On nights, I come alive. My creativity is off the charts on nightshifts - where it is quiet, I can study, experiment with work methodologies without worry of ridicule or shame while my boss watches over everything I do... No performance anxiety. Just kind of, work my way through things until I have it all running like a machine. I'm "on-step" and active as hell at night - and trying to force myself into a dayshift schedule, to meet the demands and expectations, and requirements - of a daywalker world, causes me immense trouble with my mental health. I actually liked the rotating shifts, but looking back at all the mental health troubles it certainly did, and may have caused me over time.... toss in all manner of job related PTSD over time.... all capped off with lots of alcohol (to addiction requiring detox levels) to force sleep regulation? Yeah... interesting... things I need to write down to ask my doc about... especially if a bipolar diagnosis is involved. Great video Dr. Marks!
Hello, can you do a video on hallucinations and delusion in bipolar? Bipolar 1 here, diagnosed in childhood and now in adulthood developing these aforementioned symptoms with mania. Also would love to see a video on shared delusion and schizoaffective disorder.
I may cover psychotic symptoms with bipolar disorder in my video on schizo affective disorder. You can watch that here. ruclips.net/video/jc4R8lWTl8Y/видео.html
I can chart my relatives mood and episodes based on his delusions. He can cycle in a day, in the morning he’s giddy and in the evening, he’s mean as a snake because of his constant anger and irritation bubbling under the surface or his irrational belief that someone is out to get him and his efforts to protect himself. It’s exhausting for the whole family and it’s honestly hard to love him. I just wish I could avoid him at times. I know he needs help and mercy but has zero introspection.
My depressive episodes can go up to 6 days and manic only up to 2 which makes it really confusing since i dont fit any of the bipolar criteria and this kinda made me feel a lot more seen and valid
Oh dear. I wonder if this is related to what was going on with me for years after what I consider a traumatic event. Ever since I was a kid I have had a sensitive relationship with "abandonment" and "rejection", maybe due being given up by care takers 4 times before the age of 4, so after the breakup with my first love and long term relationship (almost 7 years), it absolutely felt like I had a "snap" moment. After that event, I would have half days to a full day of feeling great but in more of a delusional sort of way. I felt "grandiose" and was more impulsive than usual. Then, seemingly out of now where something would "trigger" a crash all the way down to the depths of despair, and suddenly my self confidence was gone, gone, and suddenly I wanted to berate myself for feeling so confident before. If I felt like I did something "deemed" foolish during that time, I would have this powerful urge to rip it down and hide myself in bed, and I ached. In some ways it felt like parts of my psyche had splintered off and were "polarizingly" opposed to each other. In contrast, there would be nights where I'd write really dark vents on a public blog that I keep as a tracking journal for my reference, and to be able to process thoughts when I was having intense feelings. I'd go to sleep and wake up after my body felt it had sufficient sleep, and then feel foolish for how I felt during the vent writing, and for writing it at all. So, I'd go to the blog and set the post to private so others wouldn't have to see it anymore. Not long after the breakup event I started seeing the cycle that I would often change my mind about some kind of opinion, belief, or decision I had made the day or night prior to waking up from sleep. I used to tell myself "I know I'm more than likely going to feel different tomorrow." It was weird for me because I was never like this before that event. I was never this indecisive over night in my life, and it was all the time. Within several hours. Honestly, I think that event was the closest thing to psychosis and/or psychotic break I'd ever had, at least that's how it felt. Honestly it felt like I could literally spontaneously combust and most of the time I was in such intense agony that all I could do is lie down screaming and wailing in the fetal position under a blanket. I've had to deal with carrying around a full centimeter sized kidney stone for years and still I'd say heartbreak is more painful than that was, and at that time, I thought I was gonna die. lol During that period of a year+, I felt like If I didn't stop the suffering myself, my body would do it for me in other ways. It's been almost 3 years, I think... My perception of time has been a lot worse since then too. But, I've actually gotten so much better over time, though there are still many dysfunctional ways I live that just feel normal to me at this point (neglecting basic everyday needs). Even now, I'm considering not pressing that "Comment" button because I wonder if I'm being waaay too personal and don't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable or something.
I was diagnosed with bipolar 2 years ago, and I would cycle 1-2 times per week sometimes my states would change with just a day. However as time has passed I have started to have hallucinations/delusions more and more . Recently I was hospitalized and my diagnosis is now schizoaffective. Yet the criteria I found online doesn't fully match the way I am. It is perfect just looking at the symptoms, but the specifications of time and what not throws it off. I still do kinda rapid cycle, but my hallucinations seem to have their own rhythm of cycling. I get them with and without the "bipolar" cycles.. I think? Honestly I'm not sure.. allot of my time feels like its missing or even stolen from me. And I dont quite know what really happens bc I doubt my own memories, partially bc I feel they are not mine or that I dont really remember it and im making it up to fill in lost time. I am at the same time relieved and distressed about my current diagnosis as schizoaffective. Things just seem to be progressing as time passes and I have noticed it causes more and more issues with my father(whom I live with and he fully supports the household while I cannot do so). I dont know what to think... i tried to open up a bit about some of my issues(specifically paranoia and hallucinations) to me father.. his only reply was "you need to be hospitalized". Which hurt and just further reaffirms my beliefs in not speaking about it to him. I cant seem to trust anyone except a friend of mine who is schizophrenic(or schizoaffective i dont quite remember what he told me). Honestly I love my buddy but if whats in store for me in the future is be like him, I dont want it. Im scared.. I think im going to end up losing my job.. not that I make much anyway but its important to me(I think?).. i don't even know why I started this anymore lol I am just rambling to nobody. But that's okay it seems to have made me feel less anxious. I have to go now so I shall leave this here, goodnight I am going to try to sleep now.
hey there, how are you doing today? Yes it's important to have a job because it gets you out of the house...can you live with your mom perhaps she will be more sympathetic and helpful..
Maybe I need to look into this with my psych. I can run 8 or 9 days loving doing things I normally do then 7 to 8 days I want to hurl myself off a bridge
I rapid cycle. Bp1 with rapid cycling. I get points where I feel amazing almost god like then feel like I want to jump off a bridge. There's no in between. I thank you for your videos,I cycle daily.
I answered 30 questions and a doctor put me on Lexapro. It puts up invisible “walls” that block some intrusive thoughts and almost all emotion. Which is nice to a point. I don’t know a lot of emotions to begin with, and have never been on meds in my life. I’m 47. Some thoughts do get in, however, and are now walled in with me. Those times are bad. They think I have PTSD. I think bi polar, except I can have several dramatic mood swings in a five-minute phone call.
I rapid cycle several times a day my best friend at work tells me when he notices I switch... My wife doesn't seem to understand and just tells me to stop or act like an adult cause I have horrible impulse issues and suicidal tendencies
Can someone be bipolar but NEVER experience the decreased need for sleep? My son & I have the symptoms but NEVER the increased energy, ALWAYS feel tired...
My mother would have mania and violent tendencies for a week or two at a time and then lay and bed and be "sick" for a couple of weeks while laying in bed for a week or two.
I worked so hard to get really balanced, I cycled a lot for no reason and found a way to slow them down. Now it takes triggering to make me rapid cycle. I've been triggered for over a year over and over... I'm shocked I'm still here.
I was self harming a bit ago and yesterday and the day before I was very impulsive and VERY & SCARILY high energy w very odd behavior..now I’m just neutral?
The first time I ever had real mania my mood shifted from manic to depressed then went high again while my body remained in the "depressed" and slowed down state. I stayed like this for a few days feeling totally dazed. I had real problems moving my body but I was psychotic and hallucinating as well. Years later I looked through the famous book by Dr Emil Kraepelin where he shows that the three main aspects of "manic-depressive insanity" (as he called it) are mood, mental energy and physical energy. When all three are low and at an extreme, you're in depressive stupor. When all three are high you're in mania. But if mood stays high while the other two are low, he called that "manic stupor". Whatever happened to me it was really weird. It only lasted a few days and I had no idea what was happening.
How come only some videos have the option for Spanish cc? I have my phone settings on Spanish cc, but not all videos show up that way in c cc. I am trying to explain things to my Spanish speaking partner. Thanks!
I was told today I have rapid cycling and I never been told this before with my bipolar. I been bipolar diagnosed since 20 years old now I’m 31 but never been told this about rapid cycling until today and now I feel I don’t know myself like I thought. Can new trauma trigger rapid cycling ?
I have rapid cycling. I cycle through hypomania, depression and mixed episodes several times a week, sometimes several times a day
That can be really rough. 🙁
I'm with u! Im on here typing now but in a few hours the light from the cell phone will be enough to agitate all hell out of me. Don't think my Lamictal (150mg) is working like it use to.
Me too!
@@MsLhuntMartinez79 That's what I take too. I'm starting Risperdal tomorrow to help the mania and delusions though
Does deep bgrain stumilation work for bipolar ? 2 i think
I cycle in a day. It's mentally exhausting.
I'll bet it is - sorry. 🙁
I at times can cycle too on a daily basis it’s very hard on my body overall. If you ever need a friend who can understand you let me know. Cause I can sure use one
StressedDepressedSlightlyaMess Yeet I at times can cycle too on a daily basis it’s very hard on my body overall. If you ever need someone to talk to that know what you’re going through let me know cause I could sure use a friend too that can understand me
That sounds so exhausting, how are you doing now 4 months later now? I don’t have rapid cycling, I just have 1-2 episodes a year but I have mixed episodes more than hypomania and whrn I am in a mixed episode I shift a lot in mania and depression. Hypomania usually last 2-3 weeks for me and is mild, mixed episodes feels like my head is going to explode and I started hitting my head in the wall because it was so so exhausting, my mood cycle happened so fast and it was like dizorganized thinking, rapid speech, laughing but crying, it was horrible and my thoughts were so negative. Now that I am out of it and hve been stable for some months im so happy and grateful. I usually start cycling for some reason in the fall and winter snd become stable in spring and summer.
Same here. Well, I used to. Once I started taking meds most of my symptoms disappeared. Sorry you're going through this, I know how bad it is.
Rapid cycling bipolar 2 is what I have. I have a couple different kinds of mania, irritable and euphoria where I get obsessed with business ideas or sex. Very good video. Thank you
You're welcome Mello. 🙂Thanks for sharing.
I get obsessed with business ideas and sex too! It sounds fun and productive to everyone else😑😭
Lithium carbonate and methylphenidate work for me.
Yes me too
@@marynicholson1532 I have a small channel about my experiences with bipolar 1 rapid cycling.
I have 100% had Ultradian cycling. I was suicidal in the early part of the day, and then at night I thought I could cure cancer and conquer the world...
Are you on meds that are helping?
Oh wow that's me exactly
I go from suicidal and crying to super motivated, energetic and "wired" in a day. Usually I start the day depressed and then become what I think is hypomanic. But it can go the other way too.
My sleep is BAD. I have no structure and often have a 30-40 hours awake with 10-12 hour sleep once a week. I take antidepressants and one anti-psychotic but its just shit anyways. Just started another type of anti-depressants so I have new hope :)
My diagnoses has changed based on different opinions and its just stressfull :pp
I hope the new medication works better for you. I think it would be a good strategy for your doctor to aggressively address your sleep. Sleep deprivation fuels mania. I have a video coming up in a few weeks on bright light therapy for bipolar disorder. It's a relatively new recommendation.
@@DrTraceyMarks Thank you :) And I agree. I'm not able to stick to a routine on my own right now (which is what everyone tells me I "just" need to do.)
I haven't heard of bright light therapy before. I turned on notifications so I won't miss it.
For me, antidepressants made my emotions go all over the place, especially SSRIs and SNRIs. When I didn't improve with an SNRI, my psychiatrist gave me Abilify, along with Lamictal, and Ambien. That made things 10 times worse. I stayed awake for three full days, had very severe anxiety, started vomiting each time I took my meds, and my suicidal thoughts got worse. I almost gave in to them, but, instead, I had my parents take me to a local hospital that had inpatient psychiatric care, realizing that I needed to come off my meds and start a new regimen in a closely monitored, stable environment. I also learned and practiced ways to calm myself so that I would have those skills out in the world. Now, I just take lithium carbonate and methylphenidate.
@@karadeniz5137 I feel you. Everyone constantly tells me to go to "just" sleep at the same time every day because it's "not that hard". To me it's unbelievably hard.
I can prove mathematics equations but any kind of routine just seems impossible to me.
Ive read that some investigator found that anti depressants make other symptoms worse if they are taken all alone with bipolar, therefore needs to be a mix! I'm not a professional but just exposing what I've read! Hope you the best!!!
There's a brilliant documentary by Stephen Fry called 'the Secret Life of a Manic Depressive' where he interviews people with bipolar about their illness. Towards the end he asks them if it was possible to push a button and no longer have bipolar would they, finding the majority of people to say they wouldn't hit the button, rather remain bipolar. I have ultra rapid cycling and given the opportunity I would smash that button with a sledgehammer then drive over it in my car. URC is exhausting, dictates my life and worst of all forces my friends, family and most of all my children to see me at my worst far too often. Great video, thank you.
We more doctors like you, it’s all I can say!
Thank you.
You’re welcome Marco and thank you 😊
You make me finally understand what I am going through. It’s madness. I have been rapid cycling and I think it’s due to ptsd being triggered. But unfortunately I also have states where i ultra rapid cycle.
Thank you so much for this information. I was diagnosed as having bipolar 1 in September of this year, after 25 years of misdiagnosis. I've learned a lot in the past few months, but still have much to learn. I've been experiencing ultra rapid cycling and it's exhausting.
Oh boy. I hope now that you have the right diagnosis, that your cycle get under better control. 🙂
@@DrTraceyMarks Thank you so much. 🙂 Working on it. I believe getting the correct diagnosis is half the battle.
Different Meds for Different Minds!
All jokes aside, in my case the correct diagnosis certainly did help. I hope everyone is healthy and happy.
@JasonCleveland-ok2ge thanks for bringing me back to this comment! Five years later, I'm doing well. My med combo has been working for quite a while, and though I still have episodes, they are much milder and easier to manage. ☺️ I hope you're doing well, too!
I know this is three years old but my goodness this has helped me out tremendously! I didn’t realize I was rapid cycling in a day, much less that there was an official-unofficial term for it. Thank you!
Without my medication I can cycle every 15 minutes on a bad day, I literally swing. Thanks for the info it's helping my partner to understand me better🌞💕
You’re welcome Lou.😊
Hey Lou. Hope this isnt too much to ask, but what medication do you get and how is your experience with it? My girlfriend has bipolar disorder and cycles multiple times a day. She is extremely sceptical of lithium and thinks it might only make things worse... I trie to be as supportive of her descision as possible, but it is a big burden on my mental health whenever she is so depressed. Its unbearable to see the person you love suffer so bad and feel completely helpless. I would apprecieate an answer a lot. I wish you and your partner the best of luck.
@@Arph105 Hey! I am by no means a professional but I can give you info based on my personal experiences.
I am currently taking 200mg Quetiapine (or seroquel as i think its known in the US) which is an antipsychotic and helps a LOT, it helps with my mood swings and I'm on 45mg of mirtazapine which help with my depression side of things.
Firstly I need to say that I think everyone is different and different things work for different people but this mix really helps me. Also it helps if others understand my triggers to begin with, for example, my triggers are feeling abandoned or rejected in ANY way(could be as small as my partner not being in the mood for sex one day), or my other main trigger is when somebody won't say sorry for hurting my feelings because "it isn't a big deal" (to them).
So I think the first thing that would help is to work out what triggers her and why, together and try to diminish those.
It is so awesome that you are looking into it as I personally think that will help you to understand her a lot better and it will show her that you are taking her illness seriously and that you WANT to help. So well done you! I hope this all made sense, I do recommend the pills I am on because they work for ME, but in a partnership I think the best thing you could possibly do is work out her triggers.
Does her mood swing when she hasn't eaten much, if she has slept too long or too little, if she hasn't been outside for a few days, if her self esteem is particularly low that day, these are some to get you thinking.
Loads of love to you both I really hope this helps!🌞😊💕
@@loulou1356 Thank you so much! I know most of her triggers as we have been together for almost 2 years now and she is very open about her illness with me. We both have tried a lot of things so far. But it took almost 1 and a half year to make her make appointments with a therapist. And the date for her first appointment is next juli... What a great healthcare this country has... We tried to get one a few months ago when things were really getting bad and suicidal thoughts kept coming, but even then they said she should be hospitalized or wait for an appointment... Mental health should be taken just as serious as "normal" injuries. Thank you for sharing your experience with your me. It helped a lot. Greetings from Germany ✌🏼🙃
I honestly can't thank you enough for this video. I have bipolar 2 and I shift during the day and this makes everything so easy to explain for family and friends, sending this video to them right now! Thank you.
I had a rapid cycling episode not too long ago, where I went from pure anger to being depressed and crying. Over a 10 minute period, I switched between both states 7 or 8 times. That was the scariest emotional ride I had ever experienced. In that moment of having no control over my feelings, the only thing I could think was “this is unbearable. I’d rather be dead than be this way.”
I’m so glad that my roommate came home at the exact moment thoughts of suicide entered my head. I would not wish this on my worst enemy. Even though the anger or sadness states lasted anywhere between 30-90 seconds before switching again, this (super-saiyan ultradian, perhaps?) rapid cycling process felt like I would never be able to escape this infinitely repeating A-B loop unless I found a ‘stop’ or ‘eject’ button nearby.
My psychiatrist didn’t really provide any useful information to me. Your videos have been very informative. Thank you for creating these. You have helped me understand quite a lot about myself and the many types of neurodiversities (I don’t like to call them illnesses/diseases).
What you call a rapid cycling where a person goes through both extremes several times over a period of 15 minutes?
I was diagnosed with ADHD and bipolar II (previously depression) about a decade ago. I have seen your video about BPD and adhd comorbidity. I have yet to find a medication that works for me. I had Ativan briefly, which helped me when I took it only when I absolutely needed it. I made the 30 pill supply last one full year - mainly because I do not see pills as the only solution. Especially, when these neurodiversity ‘spectrums’ and their treatments are relatively new concepts.
Sorry, I am done being a guinea pig for newer pharmaceuticals. My doctor gave me a sample of Vraylar about a month ago. One of its potential long term side effects is Parkinson’s disease-like symptoms. I lasted about 4 days on Vraylar because the negative side effects were too much for me and the people around me to deal with. On a brighter note.. when I was on the med, I was incapable of exploring any thoughts related to suicide. I use this test every time I’m given a new prescription because I have taken a few meds that worked great, until my suicidal thoughts came back by complete surprise, exponentially stronger than before. (I’ve tried at least 15-25 different types of medications for treatment.)
Thank you Dr. Marks for this video. I have been all over the place with my ups & downs. Just thought it was my usual roller coaster ride. I never thought I was a rapid cycler until recently & watching this video nailed it. I was misdiagnosed for years & finally diagnosed as bipolar 2 but not as a rapid cycler. This helps me to understand what’s going on with me & maybe need adjustments on meds to help. Thanks again!
You're welcome Susan. Glad this helped.🙂
If ur not on meds already, check out lithium orotate which is a natural supplement
Mello Mentoring I’m taking lithium orotate & also Empowerplus from true hope. I didn’t realize I was rapid cycling so talked to my therapist & needed to adjust when I’m taking them & how much I’m taking. Hopefully this will do the trick. Thank you so much for your suggestions. I appreciate any & all help.
You’re welcome Susan. I have a couple of videos on my channel too about supplements I take for anxiety depression and bipolar 2 if you are interested.
Mello Mentoring yes I’m always interested in supplements that are helping others. I just added GabaMax to my routine. I’m hoping along with melatonin that will help me sleep. Thank you!
Thank you so very much for this, I REALLY felt this needed to be shared to Facebook so that the people that know me/care about me can try to understand what we go through. There is nothing worse than people not understanding why I am the way I am and in this day & age it shocks me how ignorant folks can be to this, so THANK YOU WITH ALL OF MY HEART!! Been suicidal then SUPER hyper happy daily for few weeks now and feels like people just think I'm a fucked up recovering addict that's just selfish and it breaks my bloody heart as well as extremely frustrating!! Again, thank you, thank you, thank you XxX
I would love to listen to you through podcasts.
LOL! I actually had/have one that I did 2014-2015. It's called Beyond Burnout. It's designed for working moms. I turned a few of the episodes into RUclips videos, but it's a different style and different focus. I podfaded and just dropped off the map when I got too busy with work. But I left them up in Itunes/Stitcher and I think Google play. I was just thinking a few days ago about when to pull the plug on it. I decided to leave it for a while. So it's funny that you bring this up today. 🙂
Hands down.. one of the best I've seen on the topic.
I'm not sure any professional in Western Australia would even know where to start with this (these) topic(s).
Thanks Dr. Tracy Marks. Keep up the good stuff.
I always enjoy your updates.
Thanks so much Andrew! I really appreciate hearing that.
I’ve dealt with ultra ultra rapid cycling ever since I was 12 or 13, it started out minor then got worse over time. My state would change entirely even on a same day. I felt like I had completely different personalities depending on my energy level. I felt totally out of control and was losing all hope when my antidepressants were only making my depressive episodes worse. Only now, at 18 years of age, did I find the right medication for me (lamotrigine) and I finally feel like I know who I am. I am so so grateful for meeting my current psychiatrist and I have so much hope for my future, something I NEVER imagined for myself as recently as only a few months ago.
heyy! I have a similar condition and I am considering lamotrigine. Could you provide an update on how things are going? I'd love to hear how things are with you
@@SiddiqueSukdiki Of course! I’m still doing very well, lamotrigine was a lifesaver figuratively and literally. I feel like a “normal person”, if you know what I mean. Like, I feel truly stable (even though I may have slight episodes of depression or hypomania, I can usually tell when they’re about to come and they aren’t as strong and I can control my actions during instead of letting my emotions take over). Lamotrigine was amazing for me, if you try it out please do let me know how it goes :)
I think lamotrigine was especially effective in my case because it’s an anticonvulsant and my family has a history of epilepsy. I’ve read papers on how bipolar disorder has a bit to do with epilepsy in some cases so probably that’s sort of what was going on in my brain, like “seizures” but in the area of my brain that controls mood and not the area that controls movement. So, yeah! Quite interesting and nuanced.
Anyways, I recommend trying it out and seeing how it goes! Especially if you have mostly depressive symptoms. I hope it works as well for you as it did for me ❤️
@@SiddiqueSukdiki For example, not only would I have trouble with mood shifts but I also struggled with depersonalization and derealization sometimes (I’d feel like I was leaving my body or I’d look as my arm and feel like it wasn’t mine or I’d feel like things around me looked weird). This lead my psychiatrist to believe that I may have traces of borderline personality disorder since I had the cycling between moods and trouble with self identity and many others. Later I researched and depersonalization is actually a symptom of epilepsy, too, my aunt would feel it before seizures or even out of nowhere. I thought that was interesting. With the improvement of all my symptoms after switching to lamotrigine my psychiatrist changed my diagnosis to bipolar disorder type 2.
Just a little extra observation hahaha
@@JAUNEtheLOCKE I used to have mixed states and multiple manic episodes a day. I was able to get out of it without medication by focusing on actively trying to control my mood. As I did that, the cycle period duration increased and the intensity of the episodes were reduced. However, recently some stressors and unfortunate events triggered my instability and my mood shifts got quicker and harder. My GP wouldn't prescribe me anything and told me to wait to see a psychiatrist, which took nearly 2 months. In that time my mood has devolved to having an episode about once a day, manic one day and low the next.
I asked my psychiatrist a last week for a low dose of fluoxetine (an SSRI) because I felt like I could handle suppressing my episodes, and with the overall rise in mood from the SSRI, I should be able to improve. I have picked it up today, but within that week, my state had devolved to what it is now. Now I regret asking for fluoxetine, because that would make my highs a bit higher and lows possibly a bit lower, which may not have been such an issue before as I could mentally work on controlling my mood, but with my mood shifts being this bad now, I think that's too much for me. So, I'll speak to him on Monday and request Lamotrigine haha.
I don't know anyone else who understands what something like this is like, and only 1 person other than my psychiatrist and my ex therapist knows about this. It can feel very isolating, so it's nice to chat with someone who understands or knows what it feels like. I'll keep you updated on how things turn out. Hopefully lamotrigine works! :)
@@SiddiqueSukdiki I get you so much and I really understand that feeling of loneliness and like you can’t properly share all that’s going on in your brain (the good and the bad) without being treated like a crazy person. SSRIs are usually not very good for people with bipolar disorder because it can trigger cycling and heighten the highs, that’s what happened to me when I was taking duloxetine, I got even worse than when I wasn’t taking the meds. I started getting more “what’s the point?” and blindly acting on my emotions and energy levels. I really hope lamotrigine helps you out as much as it helped me! A big hug to you ❤️
When my doctor said Ultrainian I said "Is that like Adamantium or vibranium? A metal in comic books by Marvel." He just shifted his head then said "
vibranium? That's a thing? We both started laughing.
Love my doctor!
Thank you so much for your videos. I am very cautious about what I watch online because a lot of it is utter nonsense but your videos are sensible, clear, and accurate. I see a psychiatrist once a month and have been doing this a long time but it is good to get refreshers and explanations from a different point of view. I think having insight into having a mental health issue is one of the most helpful things to stay healthy. Over the course of the 25 years since my diagnosis and subsequent treatment their have been life changes and hormonal changes that I think have impacted how I deal with bipolar disorder. At the moment I am caring for a very ill husband. My sleep is often interrupted and night is sometimes turned into day. It was a good reminder that sleep and routine in very important.
You’re welcome Christine. What a thoughtful comment. I'm glad my videos resonate with you and serve as Refreshers . Yes bipolar disorder can shift in the way it looks over the years with age and hormonal changes. I'm glad you've kept your care consistent with your doctor. Thatd great. I wish you the best.
Hi. Thank you for your comment. I appreciate your story. I'm older too. 55. I took care of both of my parents. It was exhausting. Mentally and physically. I finally had to get visiting nurses in here and aids to help. It was still hard. Much better but Still very demanding. I loved them so it was what i did. There's a lot of help out there. Just say goodbye to the ones that want your house! Not all do. So, i appreciated your point about routines. Sleep. Sleep is very good. I don't get restful sleep and wake up feeling like a million bucks. But, being older i can also appreciate the better understanding i have about myself and my disorder symptoms. I related to everything you said and wanted to say thank you.
Hello Dr.
Writing to you from Israel. the world of psychiatry very fascinates, I read about and watch many videos on these subjects I even learn these stuff over and over again. from watching many dr.'s videos - you are the very best without a doubt. you make your video short and concise. you explain the easiest way for all of us to understand. I think the minimal graphic design and editing it's the right amount and keeps you concentrated on the subject. tank you for answering to every comment it makes us feel valuable.
Thank you for this video! It's the best explanation that I can found on the whole Internet. After research I see that I need to stop taking antidepressants, cause my cycles became so much faster.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you so very much Dr. Tracey Marks for this video!!! I have been searching the internet for so long for information about ultra ultra rapid cycling and ultradian! I will watch this video again to understand better, because of a lot of information. Maybe you could make another video about ultra ultra rapid cycling and ultradian? There is so little information to find about this. I will now watch the video you recommended about borderline personality disorder. I have watched several of your videos to understand better bipolar 2. I was so grateful when I found your channel and I watched one of your videos about bipolar 2 vs bipolar 1. I cried when I watched the video, because I found answers I have wondered about almost all my life. Thank you so much for making these videos and for sharing them! I send you all my best wishes! And I wish you and everybody else that is watching your videos a very nice Holiday Season and a Happy New Year! : )
Thank you Paynes! I'm SO glad this filled a void. I try not to pack the videos with too much information - but sometimes I get carried away. 🙂
@@DrTraceyMarks Oh, your video did not have too much information! Your video is perfect in length and the amount of information. Not too much, not too little. I just watch videos I like several times, and also I am slow in my head, so I need to watch several times to understand better, and to remember! Thank you so much! : )
@@43110s Hi Paynes. I do the same where I rewind videos several times to remember and get a better understanding. My family and friends get so mad at me when I do this. Could this also be a sign of bipolar disorder? Are you diagnosed with bipolar?
Ur proly not ultradian....ur proly just very emotionaly up and down...that's not at all what ultradian or rapid cycling is about....!!!!
Your channel is fantastic! So helpful for family and friends.
Thanks so much I appreciate it.
Amazing video. I have bipolar type 2 with rapid cycling and I fixate on my career or surrounding myself with groups of strangers. I also become convinced that I need to be single for whatever reason. My poor partner. Theyre so patient.
Thanks Tracy mark you saved my life I am able to live a normal and fullfilling life with my meds and your bipolar kit ,lots of love from kerala,India.
Thank you so so much for making these in-depth and detailed videos on bipolar disorder. They're so helpful and informative for me!
I'm showing this to my doctor. I thought I wasn't bipolar, that they were wrong. I really want to understand and get better. This video was so clear. Thank you!
You’re welcome queen cobra. I hope showing the video to your doctor is helpful. 😊
Dear Dr. Marks,
You are an awesome person. I really like what you're doing. I'm in the middle of working on my master thesis about bipolar disorder and you helped me understand some unclear terms and definitions. You really kicked me to work. :D Can you please post to comment some of research studies you spoke about in this video? I appreciate every article you recommend to read
. :)
Keep going and have a nice day,
Anna F.
Thanks so much for this feedback is very motivating for me to know how the videos are helping you. Good luck with your master's thesis.I usually put preferences in the description but sometimes I forget and leave them out. Here are two articles I used to prepare this video.
Article about the number of episodes per year
Angst J and Sellaro R. Historical perspectives and natural history of bipolar disorder Biol Psychiatry 2000: 48(6): 445-457.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006322300009094
This article may only be accessible through a subscription -
Bipolar Disorder A Critical Look: Key factors help differentiate mood shifts in BD from other types of affective lability Current Psychiatry, Vol. 10, No. 12, Dec 2011
These videos are so educational. I really appreciate all of your hard work and dedication. Thank you so much!
Thank you for explaining the difference between emotion changes and mood switches. I have been experiencing mood shifts for a while and didn’t know how to explain it in a way that distinguishes it from emotions.
I knew it couldn’t be as simple as just being really happy or being really sad. This is because I would go from having suicidal thoughts, feeling slowed down, and disconnected to being energetic, motivated, talking really a lot and really fast, and feeling like my thoughts are going so fast that I can’t even focus or sit still.
But this will happen within the same week or month so I was always confused. I also noticed things have been worse in recent years and my circadian rhythm was also disrupted around the same time it started getting worse. But it’s honestly kind of hard to remember how I was before it was disrupted because that was a few years ago at this point… I will look more into this categorization of bipolar and maybe see a doctor about it.
I am truly touched and honored to be part of the elite 10% to 15% of those with ultra max mixed mania. Now tme for some time off.
I feel like my mood state changes every few days, at times. It’s extra confusing for women because of our periods. 😞
This is the kind of clarity we need. Psychs never explain this stuff.👍
My bipolar 1 rapid cycling is about 1 week for either mixed episodes or mania and then 1 to 2 weeks of depression almost like clockwork. I was just hospitalized 2 months ago and I've been in Intensive Outpatient Therapy. I'm learning how to cope with all of these episodes. Thank you for working so hard and teaching us so much. I've been experiencing mania for the past 6 days. I've only slept 3 to 4 hours each night. I'm using the coping skills that I'm being taught in therapy. They are helping. It's hard but I'm trying
I had 7-10 days episodes, for both hypomania and depression, all the time.
Fabulously informative video. I appreciated how sleep was included as a mania trigger, since it's not common knowledge.
Thanks for this video Dr. Marks. I was diagnosed with Rapid Cycling Bi-Polar Disorder and BPD over 20 years ago. A few years later I had my Right Temporal Lobe/Hippocampus re-sectioned and my Amygdala removed. I suffered from intractable Right Temporal Lobe Epilepsy and needed this procedure to control the Grand Mal Seizures. I do take long term maintenance meds and haven't had seizures since. I became a different person after this. Over the years, I was also diagnosed with Schizoid and Dissociative Identity Disorder ( De-Personalization/De-Realization disorder). For extended periods of time (years) I alternate between raging BPD and then extremely SPD. I'm mostly disconnected from my surroundings and myself a good part of my life. (this time around, for the past 3 years at least) It's exhausting. I've also had instances of being all of these at once. It's confusing beyond belief and I spend a good part of my days being painfully, yet mindfully aware of myself and surroundings just to make it through the day. It feels as though I am on the outside looking in most of the time. It's as though I alternate between being separate and different people and it's confusing, empty, numb and frightening at the same time. My Psychiatrist and Therapist have been very good to me and have helped me get through some of the worst. I meditate sometimes, but I tend to dissociate and "lose" time. It's exhausting and frightening. I feel drained, dead, empty and numb inside. Dr. Marks, is it common for people to be so fractured after the kind of brain and mental health issues I've had. Perhaps you could do a video about co-morbidity of BPD, Schizoid, DID. I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks,
Zed
Hi Zed. For sure, that kind of surgery and a seizure disorder can cause all kind of psychiatric symptoms. Usually we would call it mood disorder or psychotic disorder due to a general medical condition - assuming the medical conditions (seizures and surgery came first). It's similar to someone having psychiatric manifestations from a traumatic brain injury. Schizoid personality is not a common co-morbidity with bipolar d/o. Also, personality disorder develop in late adolescence/early adulthood. Personality changes that come in the context of a brain injury or surgery wouldn't really be considered that same personality disorder that is part of your hardwiring.
But - you've got a lot going on. I'm glad you have good support from your treaters to help you manage things.
Dr. Marks, Thanks for the response. I was diagnosed in my early 20's (21) with rapid cycling bipolar and BPD, well before the Seizures started and I had the Surgery . The surgery happened in my late 20's (29) and that's when everything changed. After the removal of my amygdala, I was also diagnosed with Schizoid PD and DR/DP. It's the to and fro that's frightening and not being able to remember things is exhausting. The dissociation/"unreal" feelings and feeling as though I'm different persons is exhausting. As for "losing time", a few years ago, I lived in NYC and one afternoon I just got in my car and drove all the way to Boston, Mass. I came to the next day and don't remember doing all of that. I was in Boston and didn't know how and why I was there. It's tough keeping up with the changes. Thankfully, I stick close to home these days and don't travel much. I manage, but it's still "weird" and worrying . Since there have so many changes over time, my Dr. now lists my diagnosis as PD not otherwise specified. I've been medicated to the gills over the years, but much of it hasn't worked. Dr. Marks, is there much that can be done about the de-personalization/de-realization, losing time and not being able to remember it? It wasn't the only time that this had happened to me.
Thank you again,
Zed
My mood changes like the weather in New England, every 15 min. Always Brooding and Intrusive thoughts
Me too
Well said.
Yeah man me too. It's crazy. From having thoughts about killing people to then needing to use my abilities to help and save them.
This is not mood...... This is ur emotional state.... Mood in psychiatry refers to energetic shifts .....u don't cycle this fast lmfao..... trust me.... U and everyone else in the comments seem to think they r rarities and have energetic mood shifts every two minutes.... If this were true...pretty sure the medical community would have recognized it as fairly common by now... U guys r talking about emotional shifts not mood shifts...
@@HeyItsJDanni this is still not mood shifts...this is emotional and thinking shifts ...
Thank you so much for your videos. I've only recently come to terms with accepting my diagnosis and your videos have affirmed my experiences and helped my understanding of this illness. Thank you!!!! ;~;
You're welcome Rabe. That's exactly what the videos are for. I'm glad you come to terms with your illness.
I know it's been a while since this video was released, but this leaves so much room for introspection! Sometimes it's so hard to cope with how abstract and subjective psychology can be. From my understanding it seems like Bipolar is a lot more biologically based than BPD, whereas BPD is biological, but heavily based on cirumstantial environments. Therefore, it seems like BPD cases could maybe be more correlated to current events maybe? Yet both disorders have more or less similar medications. It makes sense that there's a lot more visibility about Bipolar since it has been studied for longer (i.e. manic depression), but sometimes I wish I had more answers.
For me, BPD had been the consensus for a while--I had sort of pushed the idea myself on psychiatrists because I was googling about my rapid mood changes. I even stayed at New York Presbyterian Westchester, the BPD center capital so to speak, and they definitely thought I had a personality disorder. I was lucky enough to go to an intensive outpatient program in Austin, Texas last summer and throughout the entire time they were suggesting that I actually in fact had Bipolar. That didn't sit right with me. I feel like I hardly display the longevity that Bipolar I or II episodes can last. Now that I've heard about Ultradian, I'm a bit more confused.
I think a common trait of BPD is feeling like it's not real, or that we're making it up, but you also have to remind yourself that techinically it doesn't exist. They're more like descriptive umbrellas that describe common symptoms that fluctuate as time progresses and research continues. I don't want to have to be one of those people whose illness chart looks like a grocery list. I partly feel like something is not right with my diagnoses since SSRI's didn't work for me, but historically, neither did mood stabilizers or antispychotics (god willing, I'm testing Seroquel out now). As I've gotten older I have come to see how everything in life is so incredibly nuanced. Everything is on a spectrum-- sexuality, gender, quantum mechanics, emotions, mental illness, light particles/waves, Schrodingers equations that show that there is so many different combinations of 1's and 0's.
I know I sit somewhere on a spectrum of BPD, and maybe I have a spot amongst the Bipolar spectra? Who knows. I just wish I had better graphical and data based information, something that could take my chromosomes and past traumas into account. Something physical to prove what other people can't see would be so nice.
Thank you so much for this, after watching this video I learned many new things. When I was young I had 2-3 mood states per month, and in my country I got the diagnose of type 1 with rapid cycling. I have been wondering why I don't ever go back to rapid cycling when I'm off one of the two mood stabilizers I'm taking. So it would require being off both. And I'm glad my doctor "banned" me working night shifts... 15 years and still learning, I guess :)
Thanks for your comment. Yes the night shift if horrible for your body clock. Someone needs to do it though. Just not someone with bipolar disorder 😊
I rapid cycle. This video helped me understand some of the possible reasons including my thyroid condition and PTSD
I’m glad Tyler
Like some here I can cycle within a few days or even over a single day. Going to bed at the same time every day is so helpful; if I am wide awake an hour before the alarm goes off the in the morning and can’t stay still, I am on “red alert” about trusting my thoughts or making decisions. I have a rule with my spouse that if I’m sleeping less or being weird I have to listen to him and talk to my dr. It is very helpful to realize you CAN control a lot of your symptoms and stop the progression by saying “no” to your own mind like a parent would to a child who is over-excited or wants to do something that will harm them!
I have rapid cycling bipolar 1. I get strange existential and philosophical thoughts, images and unwanted mental noise.
You're a prophet... you just don't know it yet.
@@Alexithymiander I don't think so...
Thank you for this resource! I intend on sharing this with my patients. Excellent method of explaining this sometimes confusing concept! Thank you!
Thank you Dr. Parks. There is so little info out there about BP or Rapid Cycling. My partner was diagnosed with a severe case of bi-polar 1 for at least 2 decades that included several stints in institutions, some as long as 1 year. He's run the gamut of meds, most have no effect, or even worse, bizarre effects. He has self taught many coping mechanisms including martial arts, training hard on a bi-cycle for 30-100 miles a day sometimes, meditating in full sunshine, writing in journals, balancing a jug of water for many minutes at a time to get his mind to focus on just that - keeping the water level - in order to tune out the other seven channels he says are playing in his head. These all have varying levels of positive effect, however now we are experiencing a new thing: Rapid cycling, or Ultradian as you describe. It's been happening for about a year now. He wakes in the morning (often with very little or no sleep, just physical rest while his mind is still going a million miles a minute) and I can visibly observe when his brain chemicals, serotonin, norepinephrine, adrenaline, are going up up up so rapidly it's difficult to imagine or describe. Within minutes he is so manic, he is difficult to interact with at all. I've measured his heart rate and it is soaring. His hands and his head are warm, even hot to the touch. In his mania he begins building all kinds of meaningless stuff, listens to music at ear-piercing levels, plays his bells and/or drums without any cognizable rhythm. At this time it is most dangerous to interact with him. The slightest thing can send him into moments of paranoia or out right rage that are completely illogical, but he cannot control. A little while later, by about 11:00 am, he "crashes" somewhat. Realizes he's been outrageously mean, destructive, and paranoid. The crash comes with lowered heart rate and body temperature. He broods (but rarely sleeps) through this stage, often sobbing uncontrollably for a while, then slowly comes out of that phase and into a phase of severe anxiety. Unable to breath calmly, hyperventilating, again with an even more rapid heartbeat. I massage him to help calm him down. After an hour or so, this too passes, then the mania, this time accompanied with feelings of euphoria and moments of brilliant streaks of creativity take over. Doc, I've never seen anything like it. I'm well educated, though not a doctor myself (I'm a lawyer/consultant by trade) and I love this man. I want to help him but his many bouts with pharma drugs either do not help his condition or often worsen it. He is a smart guy. He knows this is happening - especially after a particularly brutal cycle - but he can't stop or control any of it. He can talk about it lucidly afterwards, but can't keep the next cycle from starting again. I'm researching rapid cycling and there is so little written about it, I actually resorted to RUclips just to see if there was anyone else out there with this condition. Can you help us? Are there any scholarly journals published on the matter that I can read? Any psychiatrists that you know of specializing in this rapid cycling who might be willing to do a case study or maybe even just answer a few questions? I fear the next step in this progression will not end well for either of us if we can't get some help to figure this out. Please point me in the right direction. And again, thank you for posting even this short video.
hi Michael I don't have a psychiatrist to suggest, But as far as information if you go to the national Center for biotechnology information website and search under "PMC" you'll find lots of free fulltext articles that you can read. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ WebMD may also have some useful information
Thanks for this video. I have a very close relative who is bipolar and has had rapid cycling. It was very hard to to deal with as they were hesitant to give that diagnosis to a young person. This let to be prescribed antidepresants that seemed to make it worse and ultimately not helping.
I hope your relative is on the right track now. Thanks for watching.😊
Not a word of dissociation is mentioned. That should be added when PTSD was mentioned. As a retired psychiatrist I have been fooled in a case of dissociative identity disorder, and I mis-diagnosed the patient as suffering from a textbook case of bipolar.
Very surprising to hear it in the same sentence. So dissimilar
Ugh.. I have been in denial for to many years since being diagnosed....
I always thought the DSM V was for the initial diagnosis in which symptoms must last a specified period of time. I always thought rapid cycling happened over time as the Bipolar illness progresses. Like being on meds affecting duration and frequency of episodes for example.
Love your videos! ❤
Thank you Haley. Sometimes it can happen that after years of having bipolar disorder your condition can worsen in a way that it cycles rapidly or you have mixed symptoms. But that’s not always the case. in other words it can be a progression of your illness or people can start out with rapid cycling or mixed episodes early on.
@@DrTraceyMarks can it still appears if you are under medications like antidepressants And stabilizer???
I’m convinced bipolar has to have some type of relationship to our thyroid. If you’ve ever felt a hyper thyroid and or a hypo thyroid it can have many of the same symptoms. I wish we had more information.
I agree, I keep asking to have my thyroid tested but my doc keeps telling me it's fine. But my Mom is Bi-polar 2 and her thyroid was in the normal range but they treated her for her symptoms anyway and she got a lot better
Same ... I have a lot of thyroid disease symptoms but I when I get tested for it my thyroid seems to be ok. I have been diagnosed with bipolar 2.
Thyroid issues was one of the things I was checked for years ago before my long list of incorrect diagnoses like depression, BPd, schizotypal, depression again, it was ultimately the treatment for my depression with ssris that led to a definitive diagnoses again of bipolar due to the manic and psychotic effects those particular meds were having on me.
@@DarksideoftheMoon79 so the bottom line was bipolar disorder? Does any of your treatment help?
@vincesza8464 Yea, my treatment is a bit unconventional to most as I'm intolerant of antipsychotics as they do something weird to my heart rythm. It used to just be intervention and talking therapy but now for the past few years and under a specialist consultant and in conjuction with CBT I'm stabilised with cannabis but even that took a while to dial in the right strain and type as quite a few made me anxious, lazy or exhagerated my symptoms . It basically instantly stops my multiple thoughts and ideas racing and filters the mind chatter out, it also helps me sleep and lifts my mood when I feel like I'm heading in the pit.
I have a DX of BP1 w/ PTSD, as I do have the "cycles," however, I also experience ultradian cycling. Within one afternoon I had a REVELATION, i had connected ALL THE DOTS and was euphoric, through the moon, and driven to take massive action. A mere few hours later I was in complete despair and didn't want to exist anymore. It was at that moment I knew I needed help. 2 weeks later I got my DX, and medication is going so far so good. I actually.. function now. Before I was a mess that merely thought I was productive when I was manic.
I have rapid cycles in one day, it is extremely exhausting i have yet to be diagnosed my dr is sending me in the next week ..... as i have been extremely depressed lately ... i thought this was how everyone was and it makes sense looking back that i have had bipolar type 2 my whole life your videos have been extremely helpful in breaking down the differences between 1 and 2 and hypomania and mania so thank you
You’re welcome April. I’m glad this helps your understanding. That’s what the videos are for.😊
IS ULTRA CYCLING HARDER TO TREAT
ULTRA ULTRA RAPID CYCLING *******
I have schizoaffective bipolar 2 type with rapid cycling. I can be depresse for weeks then switch to hypomania within a 6-8 week period with 7-10 episodes per year. I finally have a cocktail of meds that is stabilizing me. It's like the light at the end of a 30 year tunnel!
thank you so much for making a video clearly defining and discussing the different types of rapid cycling. i've seen conflicting information and this video cleared up my confusion.
You’re welcome Haley Ray. I’m glad that’s cleared it up for you. Thanks for watching.
I used to be treated for bipolar2 but that was dropped for ADHD and other comorbidities. No official diagnosis.
If people are unable to get a good home, a solid supportive place, to live and work from.... figuring all of this out for an individual that's just trying to survive and get some peace this side of heaven is tough.... but I know my friend is strong inside, too.
My bipolar is working night shift and no sleep with family that don’t appreciate anything
Yes, night shift work is super hard on your sleep.
I've been clean and sober for 17 year's the day after I got out of treatment I was sitting in a mental health facility. After 17 year's of diagnosis I got a Doctor who diagnosed me with bi-polar last week. I've been researching it and it fits... so I'm relieved but just starting on the meds and I can go three days easy no sleep miserable. A lot of anger depression just a message. Yes I've been in therapy to. Help! Thanks
You’re welcome. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Good for you! One day at a time. ☺
I think I have Bipolar 1 with rapid cycling. It seems like it happens daily though. :'(
Thank you so much for these videos I try to understand most times what does really trigger these stuff off . love from the Caribbean of St.vincent
Thanks Lystra for watching!
Thank you for this video. My therapist has suspected that I am Bi-polar 2. I see a psychiatric nurse next month for evaluation. I feel like I’m going mad. I can be really happy and giddy while being irritable and angry to depressed and crying in a day. Like today. I’ve been charting my moods and I usually have 3-4 days in a super good mood with or without having anxiety/anger/depression then it’s anxiety/anger/depression for 3-4 days. It’s exhausting and maddening.
I have aprox 1 to 4 weeks of hypomania, and 2 weeks to a month of depression. Sprinkled in those days are mixed episodes. I'm taking my meds as as prescribed. I use the tools I've been given, but there are times throughout the month, I feel like I can't take it. Love on your bipolar people. We need love that knows what they are getting into by researching bipolar. We are worth the ride
Can you please do a video on signs of Bipolar in teens? I think its very important as teen symptoms can be different from adults with bipolar.
Great idea Bored RUclipsr. I’ll put it on my list
For a year my therapist and I went back and forth on what was causing my massage mood swings. She thought.. like a therapist a few years ago, that it might be borderline personality disorder. But it didn't fit exactly. She dismissed the idea of bipolar based solely on how short my manic episodes were. I'm so glad I pushed to get more diagnostic testing done, because last year was hell.
Now that I know what I was experiencing was Bipolar Type 1 with rapid cycling I know that those mindfulness exercises didn't work, because they couldn't have worked. I am starting medication. I have hope. I think that I might eventually be able to maintain a job again.
I got diagnosed with BP with rapid cycling yesterday. My life turned around in just 2 months. I had 2 manic episodes in a timespan of 5 weeks.
Holy cannoli well that makes a lot of sense!! I’m bipolar 1 and I was on an anti depressant+an anti psychotic for about two years and had so so so many issues with ultra rapid cycling and bouncing back and forth between ideas of grandeur and being invincible going a billion miles a minute to the most depressed and suicidal I’ve ever been and slow as a sloth🦥
Ive been on a few different meds for my bipolar. Im finally about to go back and try again. My mood is just all over the place 24/7.
I run a business and being bp1 makes it nearly impossible. If i wasnt mostly hypomanic it would have died awhile ago but when im on, its like i can walk circles around 99% of people.
This is also why ive waited so long to go back again. Hypomania is a super power and I think lots of people will agree. The other side is awful.
I agree! I wish the dipper power can last forever. Depression is so awful. I’m just wasting away days waiting to be manic again so I can get some relief and finally get things done. I hate this brain….
my hypomania tends to be no more than 2 days and my depression can be a week or more. My pych says my mania still counts because it's just as intense
I wish I had found this video earlier, then my correct diagnosis would have been detected earlier and treated earlier as well. Since 2014 I would at least go with 4 depressive episodes and I tried to find a pattern on the dates thinking it might be related to my PMS or I might have SAD but it never matched. It was until 2015 where I noticed that my depressive episodes cycled weekly, meaning it would switch with me being depressed for a week or more and then being "productive" for a week. It became so frequent that whenever I noticed I was becoming more productive, taking in more tasks and feeling like I could do more work, I also became so afraid because it would mean that the "next one" will be me being depressed and that hit me harder because I wouldn't even be able to function which also made me depressed more quickly. Had I known I was cycling between depressive episodes and hypomania, and got treatment for it, my undergrad experience might have been less miserable.
I only got diagnosed with major depressive disorder this year but after seeing another psychiatrist and finding out that I also had bouts of intense irritability as well as impulsivity, even with an antidepressant, I was finally diagnosed with bipolar disorder type 2.
Hi W. Unfortunately you're not the only one who has a similar story of going several years with it not being clear what the problem is. I'm glad you know now so you can be on your way toward treatment that helps you.
I relate so much. I could've wrote this. Every single word
I believe I’m Bipolar 2 Ultra Rapid Cycling. Within the course of a week I’ve gone from hypomania to a complete depressive crash back to hypomania. It’s exhausting.
I cycle twice a week too. It sure is exhausting. I feel ya. Hang in there.
This is an excellent explanation! Thank you!
Good info. I despite years ago having worked as a case manager for dually diagnosed adults with developmental disabilities and major mental illness and substance use disordered for several years. I still see bipolar 2 and especially confuse rapid cycling mood with borderline and related clustered B personality traits. Perhaps no wonder in that all and some disorders can be present any way given when disorderes start in persons history. So more than ever good reason to read a fairly up to date assessment.
I go low for 2 weeks then switch just like to normal with a mania phase to end. Then straight back to depression this all lasts around 5 to 6 weeks
Wow... my Doc is just now starting to take a look at a bipolar diagnosis (I'm with the Veterans Healthcare system) - but, when Doctor Marks starts going into about shiftwork, etc. @ 3:25 - I worked policing for 20 years - the *vast* majority of that being on 12 hour (usually 6AM to 6PM) shifts that rotated from day shift to night shift, monthly. Add in time for "belting-up" and pre-shift briefing, to End Tour of Duty - easily 13 hour days. More calendar days off, but always 40+ hours/week. Days/Nights/Days/Nights... on dayshift, I drag ass. On nights, I come alive.
My creativity is off the charts on nightshifts - where it is quiet, I can study, experiment with work methodologies without worry of ridicule or shame while my boss watches over everything I do... No performance anxiety. Just kind of, work my way through things until I have it all running like a machine. I'm "on-step" and active as hell at night - and trying to force myself into a dayshift schedule, to meet the demands and expectations, and requirements - of a daywalker world, causes me immense trouble with my mental health.
I actually liked the rotating shifts, but looking back at all the mental health troubles it certainly did, and may have caused me over time.... toss in all manner of job related PTSD over time.... all capped off with lots of alcohol (to addiction requiring detox levels) to force sleep regulation?
Yeah... interesting... things I need to write down to ask my doc about... especially if a bipolar diagnosis is involved.
Great video Dr. Marks!
Hello, can you do a video on hallucinations and delusion in bipolar?
Bipolar 1 here, diagnosed in childhood and now in adulthood developing these aforementioned symptoms with mania.
Also would love to see a video on shared delusion and schizoaffective disorder.
I may cover psychotic symptoms with bipolar disorder in my video on schizo affective disorder. You can watch that here. ruclips.net/video/jc4R8lWTl8Y/видео.html
Hi. I used to hallucinate when i was younger. It was terrifying. I remember them all.
I wish I knew how to catch my cycling.. I don't know what is real and what is bipolar symptoms 🙄
Tracking moods really helps! I use eMoods (specifically for bipolar) but there are plenty of apps. Even a graph in your notebook.
Thank u for this video. This one made alot of sense. Grateful
I can chart my relatives mood and episodes based on his delusions. He can cycle in a day, in the morning he’s giddy and in the evening, he’s mean as a snake because of his constant anger and irritation bubbling under the surface or his irrational belief that someone is out to get him and his efforts to protect himself. It’s exhausting for the whole family and it’s honestly hard to love him. I just wish I could avoid him at times. I know he needs help and mercy but has zero introspection.
My depressive episodes can go up to 6 days and manic only up to 2 which makes it really confusing since i dont fit any of the bipolar criteria and this kinda made me feel a lot more seen and valid
Oh dear. I wonder if this is related to what was going on with me for years after what I consider a traumatic event.
Ever since I was a kid I have had a sensitive relationship with "abandonment" and "rejection", maybe due being given up by care takers 4 times before the age of 4, so after the breakup with my first love and long term relationship (almost 7 years), it absolutely felt like I had a "snap" moment.
After that event, I would have half days to a full day of feeling great but in more of a delusional sort of way. I felt "grandiose" and was more impulsive than usual. Then, seemingly out of now where something would "trigger" a crash all the way down to the depths of despair, and suddenly my self confidence was gone, gone, and suddenly I wanted to berate myself for feeling so confident before. If I felt like I did something "deemed" foolish during that time, I would have this powerful urge to rip it down and hide myself in bed, and I ached. In some ways it felt like parts of my psyche had splintered off and were "polarizingly" opposed to each other. In contrast, there would be nights where I'd write really dark vents on a public blog that I keep as a tracking journal for my reference, and to be able to process thoughts when I was having intense feelings. I'd go to sleep and wake up after my body felt it had sufficient sleep, and then feel foolish for how I felt during the vent writing, and for writing it at all. So, I'd go to the blog and set the post to private so others wouldn't have to see it anymore. Not long after the breakup event I started seeing the cycle that I would often change my mind about some kind of opinion, belief, or decision I had made the day or night prior to waking up from sleep. I used to tell myself "I know I'm more than likely going to feel different tomorrow." It was weird for me because I was never like this before that event. I was never this indecisive over night in my life, and it was all the time. Within several hours. Honestly, I think that event was the closest thing to psychosis and/or psychotic break I'd ever had, at least that's how it felt. Honestly it felt like I could literally spontaneously combust and most of the time I was in such intense agony that all I could do is lie down screaming and wailing in the fetal position under a blanket. I've had to deal with carrying around a full centimeter sized kidney stone for years and still I'd say heartbreak is more painful than that was, and at that time, I thought I was gonna die. lol During that period of a year+, I felt like If I didn't stop the suffering myself, my body would do it for me in other ways.
It's been almost 3 years, I think... My perception of time has been a lot worse since then too. But, I've actually gotten so much better over time, though there are still many dysfunctional ways I live that just feel normal to me at this point (neglecting basic everyday needs).
Even now, I'm considering not pressing that "Comment" button because I wonder if I'm being waaay too personal and don't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable or something.
Thank you for making this video!
You’re welcome Laura!
I was diagnosed with bipolar 2 years ago, and I would cycle 1-2 times per week sometimes my states would change with just a day. However as time has passed I have started to have hallucinations/delusions more and more . Recently I was hospitalized and my diagnosis is now schizoaffective. Yet the criteria I found online doesn't fully match the way I am. It is perfect just looking at the symptoms, but the specifications of time and what not throws it off. I still do kinda rapid cycle, but my hallucinations seem to have their own rhythm of cycling. I get them with and without the "bipolar" cycles.. I think? Honestly I'm not sure.. allot of my time feels like its missing or even stolen from me. And I dont quite know what really happens bc I doubt my own memories, partially bc I feel they are not mine or that I dont really remember it and im making it up to fill in lost time. I am at the same time relieved and distressed about my current diagnosis as schizoaffective. Things just seem to be progressing as time passes and I have noticed it causes more and more issues with my father(whom I live with and he fully supports the household while I cannot do so). I dont know what to think... i tried to open up a bit about some of my issues(specifically paranoia and hallucinations) to me father.. his only reply was "you need to be hospitalized". Which hurt and just further reaffirms my beliefs in not speaking about it to him. I cant seem to trust anyone except a friend of mine who is schizophrenic(or schizoaffective i dont quite remember what he told me). Honestly I love my buddy but if whats in store for me in the future is be like him, I dont want it. Im scared.. I think im going to end up losing my job.. not that I make much anyway but its important to me(I think?).. i don't even know why I started this anymore lol I am just rambling to nobody. But that's okay it seems to have made me feel less anxious. I have to go now so I shall leave this here, goodnight I am going to try to sleep now.
hey there, how are you doing today? Yes it's important to have a job because it gets you out of the house...can you live with your mom perhaps she will be more sympathetic and helpful..
Maybe I need to look into this with my psych. I can run 8 or 9 days loving doing things I normally do then 7 to 8 days I want to hurl myself off a bridge
Oh no....I hope you are ok...🙏🙏🙏
I can TOTALLY relate to what you're saying!! I'm going through it right now😔😔😔
I'm bipolar 1 and switched to working nights. I think it's actually helping me.
I rapid cycle. Bp1 with rapid cycling. I get points where I feel amazing almost god like then feel like I want to jump off a bridge. There's no in between. I thank you for your videos,I cycle daily.
You are not alone with this. I have the same shit. Please feel hugged and stay strong. ❤️
I answered 30 questions and a doctor put me on Lexapro. It puts up invisible “walls” that block some intrusive thoughts and almost all emotion. Which is nice to a point.
I don’t know a lot of emotions to begin with, and have never been on meds in my life. I’m 47. Some thoughts do get in, however, and are now walled in with me. Those times are bad. They think I have PTSD. I think bi polar, except I can have several dramatic mood swings in a five-minute phone call.
I rapid cycle several times a day my best friend at work tells me when he notices I switch... My wife doesn't seem to understand and just tells me to stop or act like an adult cause I have horrible impulse issues and suicidal tendencies
I’ve been rapid cycling a lot lately. I’m so tired of it. Thank you for your videos. They’re helpful.
Can someone be bipolar but NEVER experience the decreased need for sleep? My son & I have the symptoms but NEVER the increased energy, ALWAYS feel tired...
Have you seen a psychiatric?
Hello, a too late diagnosis can accelerate the cycle. Thanks Dr, so friendly pedagogic video. Denali from France.
My mother would have mania and violent tendencies for a week or two at a time and then lay and bed and be "sick" for a couple of weeks while laying in bed for a week or two.
I worked so hard to get really balanced, I cycled a lot for no reason and found a way to slow them down. Now it takes triggering to make me rapid cycle. I've been triggered for over a year over and over... I'm shocked I'm still here.
I was self harming a bit ago and yesterday and the day before I was very impulsive and VERY & SCARILY high energy w very odd behavior..now I’m just neutral?
The first time I ever had real mania my mood shifted from manic to depressed then went high again while my body remained in the "depressed" and slowed down state. I stayed like this for a few days feeling totally dazed. I had real problems moving my body but I was psychotic and hallucinating as well.
Years later I looked through the famous book by Dr Emil Kraepelin where he shows that the three main aspects of "manic-depressive insanity" (as he called it) are mood, mental energy and physical energy. When all three are low and at an extreme, you're in depressive stupor. When all three are high you're in mania. But if mood stays high while the other two are low, he called that "manic stupor".
Whatever happened to me it was really weird. It only lasted a few days and I had no idea what was happening.
How come only some videos have the option for Spanish cc? I have my phone settings on Spanish cc, but not all videos show up that way in c cc. I am trying to explain things to my Spanish speaking partner. Thanks!
Omg I needed this! Thank you
You’re welcome! I’m so glad it was helpful.
I just realize I’m going through the depression phase now I’m moving slow and my body feels heavy.
I was told today I have rapid cycling and I never been told this before with my bipolar. I been bipolar diagnosed since 20 years old now I’m 31 but never been told this about rapid cycling until today and now I feel I don’t know myself like I thought. Can new trauma trigger rapid cycling ?