Cyclothymia is a chronic bipolar disorder consisting of short periods of mild depression and short periods of hypomania (lasting a few days to a few weeks), separated by short periods of normal mood. Individuals with cyclothymia (thymia: from the Greek word for the mind) are never free of symptoms of either depression or hypomania for more than two months at a time. In 1980 the classification of cyclothymia was changed in the DSM-IV from Personality Disorder to Mood Disorder.

Cyclothymic disorder is a mild form of bipolar disorder characterized by alternating episodes of mood swings from mild or moderate depression to hypomania, in which the person experiences elevated mood, euphoria, and excitement, but does not become disconnected from reality.

The symptoms are never severe enough to be classified as a major depressive episode. For cyclothymic symptoms to be diagnosed, hypomanic symptoms and depressive symptoms must be present alternately for at least two years. Longitudinal follow-up studies indicate that the risk of bipolar disorder developing in patients with cyclothymia is about 33 percent; although 33 times greater than that for the general population, this rate of risk is still too low to justify viewing cyclothymia as merely an early manifestation of bipolar type I disorder.

Causes

The cause of cyclothymic disorder is unknown. Although the changes in mood are irregular and abrupt, the severity of the mood swings is far less extreme than that seen with bipolar disorder (manic depressive illness). Unlike in bipolar disorder, periods of hypomania in cyclothymic disorder do not progress into actual mania. In actual mania, a person may lose control over his or her behavior and go on spending binges, engage in highly risky sexual or drug-taking behavior, and become detached from reality.

Cyclothymic disorder may cause disruption in all areas of the person’s life. Many individuals with this disorder are unable to succeed in their professional or personal lives as a result of their symptoms. A few who suffer primarily from hypomanic episodes are high achievers who work long hours and require little sleep. A person’s ability to manage the symptoms of the disorder depends upon a number of personal, social, and cultural factors.

Symptoms

For the duration of at least 2 years (1 year for children and adolescents), the individual exhibits presence of numerous periods with hypomanic symptoms and numerous periods with depressive symptoms that do not meet criteria for a major depressive episode.

Hypomanic symptoms are similar to manic episode symptoms (see below) but are much shorter in duration (a minimum of four days).

Self-care

The following recommendations may help you manage cyclothymic symptoms:

Take your medications. Even if you’re feeling well, follow your doctor’s orders. Discontinuing treatment can lead to a hypomanic or depressive episode.

Pay attention to warning signs. If you feel you’re facing a symptomatic episode, call your doctor and take preventive action, such as simplifying your schedule. Involve family members or friends in watching for warning signs.

Be aware of triggers. Avoid triggers when possible and develop strategies to deal with those you can’t avoid. You may be able to work around some challenging situations or find optimal times to deal with them.

Tagged with: Causes • Cyclothymic • Disorder • Symptoms • Treatments

Filed under: Bipolar Disorder Risk Factors

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