Cyclothymia symptoms alternate between emotional highs and lows. The highs of cyclothymia include symptoms of an elevated mood (hypomanic symptoms). The lows consist of mild or moderate depressive symptoms. The hypomania symptoms are not frequent, severe or long lasting enough to classify fully as hypomania, and the depressive symptoms are not frequent, severe or long lasting enough to classify fully as a major depressive disorder.
Patient may feel on top of the world for a time, followed by a low period when he feels somewhat down. Between these cyclothymic highs and lows, the patient may feel stable and fine.
There may be no periods of stable mood between episodes, and periods of stable mood will last for less than two months.
Cyclothymia symptoms are similar to those of bipolar I or II disorder, but they're less severe. People with cyclothymic disorder tend to have extreme reactions to external events or stimuli. They can be overly happy and enthusiastic in response to a positive event such as success at work,
a period of good weather, feelings created by substances, like drugs and alcohol.
Cyclothymia often appears in adolescence or early adulthood. Women and men are equally affected. Genetic and physiological factors are thought to contribute to the development of cyclothymic disorder.
Characteristics of Cyclothymic disorder
