Cyclothymic disorder

What is cyclothymia?

Cyclothymia is described as a moderate mood disorder followed by symptoms similar to bipolar ll disorder. It is characterized by fluctuating low levels of depressive symptoms followed by hypomania. For it to be cyclothymia, the symptoms need to be present for at least two years in adults and one year in children. Individuals with cyclothymia tend to experience the moods swings in cycles, sometimes low and later high, and between the tops and bottoms, individuals might experience their mood as stable.

What is the difference between cyclothymia and bipolar disorder?

The main difference is that the moods swings in cyclothymia are described as a lot less intense than in bipolar disorder. In bipolar disorder, individuals tend to experience periods with major depression and periods with intense manic episodes, but in cyclothymia, the ups and downs are described as hypomania and moderate depressive episodes.

What are the symptoms of cyclothymia?

Depressive symptoms

• Irritability
• Aggressiveness
• Insomnia or hypersomnia
• Appetite changes
• Gaining or losing weight
• Low energy
• Lack of concentration or forgetfulness

Manic symptoms   

• Extremely high self-esteem
• Excessive talking or talking quickly
• Racing thoughts
• Restlessness and hyperactivity
• Days without sleep
• Argumentative

Kerr, M. (2018, 8 20). Cyclothymia. Retrieved from Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/cyclothymia