When the Cycle Creeps In: The Signs I Can’t Ignore

In the early stages of my diagnosis, it was almost impossible for me to tell when I was in the middle of a cycle. I just knew that life felt too fast or too slow, and everything seemed to be unraveling around me all at once. Once I learned more about bipolar disorder, I realized there were certain cues—small but reliable signals—that hinted whether I was already in a cycle or sliding into one.

Even now, it’s still difficult to catch the warning signs before a cycle hits. But I’ve gotten better at using these hints to recognize when what I’m feeling is part of a mood episode rather than something purely circumstantial. When things start going off of the rails and I can pause long enough to breathe, I try to look at what’s changed and how long I’ve been in this state.

Here are a few of the red flags I check in with:

• Have my sleep patterns been off?

• Am I more irritable or agitated than usual?

• Is it hard to concentrate—even on something simple like a TV show or short article?

• Do my thoughts feel too slow or completely blank? Or the opposite—too fast, like everyone else is speaking in slow motion?

• Am I feeling paranoid or experiencing auditory hallucinations?

• Am I isolating, withdrawing, or feeling disconnected from everyone around me?

  
  

These are just a handful of the signs that tell me I may be in a hypomanic or depressed state. Recognizing them doesn’t magically make the cycle easier. But it does help me show myself some grace—and pushes me to reach out to speak up before I spiral instead of waiting until everything implodes.