Rapid cycling

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:
*Bipolar I disorder
*Bipolar II disorder
A person experiences at least 4 different mood episodes over the period of a year that are one of the following:
*Major depressive episode
*Manic episode
*Mixed episode
*Hypomanic episode
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)