Rapid cycling is a term that is used to describe (or specify) the course of of some bipolar disorders. It describes whether or not someone has 4 or more different mood episodes over the period of a year.
Rapid cycling specifier in the DSM[]
The DSM uses the rapid cycling specifier to describe the following mood disorders:
A person experiences at least 4 different mood episodes over the period of a year that are one of the following:
The mood episodes also are marked by either full or partial remission for at least 2 months in between each episode or switch to a mood episode of an opposite type (from major depressive episode to manic, mixed, or hypomanic episode or vice versa)
| Mood disorders as diagnosed by the DSM edit |
|---|
| Mood episodes: Major depressive episode • Manic episode • Mixed episode • Hypomanic episode
Depressive disorders: Major depressive disorder • Dysthymic disorder • Depressive disorder NOS • (PMDD) Bipolar disorders: Bipolar I disorder • Bipolar II disorder • Cyclothymic disorder • Bipolar disorder NOS Other mood disorders: Mood disorder due to a general medical condition • Substance-induced mood disorder • Mood disorder NOS Episode specifiers: Severity • Psychotic • Remission • Chronic • Catatonic • Melancholic • Atypical • Postpartum Course specifiers: Longitudinal • Seasonal (SAD) • Rapid cycling |