It lasts at least 1 week. It must be accompanied by at least 3 other symptoms ranging from inflated self esteem, pressured speech, rapid thoughts, distractibility, increased involvement in goal-directed activities, and psychomotor agitation, to excessive involvement with pleasurable activities with a high potential for painful consequences. The symptoms are severe enough to impair social or occupational functioning, and sometimes hospitalization is needed. You may be told you are a rapid cycler, or it might be you are in a chat and hear someone say they are rapid cycling. This is when a person will have a mood swing, but instead of the mood staying for a longer time, their mood swings back.
Every person has a mood cycle.
An average mood cycle is four or less in a year. It is a slow process. A rapid cycle can happen in a matter of a few hours, and cycle back again. Hypomanic Episodes are identical to Manic Episodes with the exception that it is not sufficiently severe enough to cause extreme impairment in social or occupational functions, and is not severe enough to require hospitalization. Caution, some hypomanic episodes can evolve into manic episodes.