What is cyclothymia?

Cyclothymia, also known as cyclothymic disorder, is a mild mood disorder. It is characterized by fluctuations in mood between short periods of mildly depressive and hypomanic episodes. Moods in cyclothymic disorder never reach the severity or duration of episodes of major depression or full-blown mania. Cyclothymic has milder symptoms than the full-blown pattern of bipolar disorder.

Who does cyclothymia (cyclothymic disorder) affect?

A presentation of cyclothymia is in mostly adolescence or early adulthood.

What are the symptoms of cyclothymia?

Cyclothymia usually alternates between a high and a low mood. The high part of cyclothymia consists of elevation (hypomanic symptoms), whereas the low part comprises mild or moderate depressive symptoms.

The symptoms are similar to bipolar I or II disorder, but they are of lesser severity. You can usually still function in your life during cyclothymia although not always very well. The randomness of your mood shifts may quite severely disrupt your life because you never know how you are going to feel.

Hypomanic symptoms

Signs and symptoms of high of cyclothymia include:

• Intense experience of happiness or well-being (euphoria)
• Extreme optimism
• Heightened self-esteem
• Speaking more than usual
• Poor judgment resulting in risky behaviour or bad choices
• Racing thoughts
• Irritable or aggravated behavior
• Extensive physical activity
• More inclined to perform or accomplish goals (sexual, work-related, or social)
• Reduced sleep requirements
• Being easily distracted
• Lack of concentration
• Depressive symptoms

Symptoms of the lows of cyclothymia may include:

• Sadness, hopelessness, or emptiness
• Crying
• Irritability, especially in children and adolescents

What causes cyclothymia?

 Cyclothymia is a peculiar condition unknowingly caused by few to researchers. They seem to connect an old relationship to genetics, as cyclothymia and depression run in families together with bipolar disorder. 

Some triggering factors like trauma are also said to have involved cyclothymia in some people apart from severe, lengthy-lived stresses or serious illness.

How is cyclothymia (cyclothymic disorder) diagnosed?

Diagnosis of cyclothymia can be a challenge for health providers because of the manifold overlaps with certain other mental condition symptoms such as:

• Major depression disorders.
• Neurodevelopmental disorders.
• Bipolar II disorder.
• Personality disorders.
• Generalized anxiety disorder.

Diagnosing cyclothymia is based on many of the tools available to providers, which may include:

• Physical examination
• Medical tests-including blood tests, for instance, to check for other conditions such as hyperthyroidism or substance use.
• Detailed medical history to ask for information about a person's lifetime history, experiences, and family history, including symptoms.
• Your provider may conduct the assessment, or they may send you to a mental health specialist, such as a psychologist or psychiatrist, to obtain one.

Providers diagnose cyclothymia when:

• Your symptoms of alternating hypomanic and depressive episodes have been present for at least 50% of the time for at least two years. For children and adolescents, symptoms must be present for one year.
• You have not had more than two months without having symptoms.
• Your symptoms are not due to substance use or a medical condition.
• Furthermore, the symptoms must cause significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. However, they must not be severe enough to warrant a diagnosis of either major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder.

How is cyclothymia treated?

Most often, they are so mild that the person with cyclothymia may not actively seek medical treatment. All in all, they do not typically feel like a sick person because of it.

Treatment of cyclothymia typically consists of psychotherapy (which is commonly termed talk therapy) and medication.

Psychotherapy is a general term for these types of techniques that help in treating a disorder through inducing discussion by a licensed mental health professional regarding the adulterated emotions, thoughts and actions within a person.

It has defined several different forms of psychotherapy. Research has shown that cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) specifically suits intervention for cyclothymia.

By psychotherapy, satisfaction was reduced by training the patient to:

• Recognize, monitor and manage their cyclothymic symptoms.
• Cope with stressors.
• Re-think and problem-solve reactively.
• Enhance interpersonal interactions and communication.

Can cyclothymia be prevented?

There is no known prevention of cyclothymia as the scientists are unaware of the cause.

What is the prognosis for cyclothymia?

The prognosis (outlook) for cyclothymics may vary.

Irritability, emotional outbursts, as well as impulsivity make it difficult for people suffering from cyclothymia to bond or build relationships well with family, friends, co-workers, and romantic partners.

However, for most people without bipolar disorder, it is common to find that people with cyclothymia:

• Have fewer hospitalizations.
• Have lesser days absent from work.
• Function more evenly.

For those who choose to consult with their problem of cyclothymia, early diagnosis and treatment may give very significant improvement. 

When to come and talk to my doctor about cyclothymia?

See a healthcare provider if you are having periods of shifting moods that are hypomanic or mildly depressed.

If your provider has diagnosed you with cyclothymia, be sure to see your provider and/or therapist regularly for treatment.

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