What Is Cyclothymia Mood Disorder? CBT Kenya

The mood swings associated with cyclothymia are not as extreme as those that come with bipolar disorder: Those with bipolar disorder experience intense symptoms that meet clinically criteria for the diagnoses of mania and major depression. While those with cyclothymia experience milder “ups and down,” described as hypo mania and mild depression. If left untreated, cyclothymia can increase your risk of developing bipolar disorder.

The condition usually develops in adolescence. People with the disease often appear to function normally, although they may seem “moody” or “difficult” to others. People will often not seek treatment because the mood swings do not seem severe. People with cyclothymia may occasionally even be hyper-productive.

How is it diagnosed?

If you think you might be suffering from cyclothymia, seek the help of your medical doctor or mental health provider. Your doctor will likely perform a series of tests to make sure the causes of your depressive and hypo manic symptoms are not due to an underlying medical condition or medication you are taking.

• Everyone has their ups and downs, right? What distinguishes cyclothymia from regular mood swings? Cyclothymia can increase your chances of developing bipolar disorder. Your highs and lows interfere with your daily life functions and relationships. So it’s essential to seek treatment to get a handle on the disorder before it becomes fully disruptive.
• Less than half of individuals living with cyclothymia develop bipolar disorder. In most, cyclothymia is a chronic disorder that remains prevalent throughout the lifetime. In others, cyclothymia seems to dissipate and resolve itself over time.
• The effects of cyclothymia can be detrimental to social, family, work, and romantic relationships. In addition, the impulsivity associated with hypo-manic symptoms can lead to poor life choices, legal issues, and financial difficulties. Research has also shown that if you are suffering from cyclothymic disorder, you are more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol.
• To decrease the negative effects of cyclothymia on your daily life, take your medications as directed. Do not use alcohol or take recreational drugs. Track your moods to provide helpful information to your mental health provider about the effectiveness of treatment, get plenty of sleep, and exercise regularly.
• With cyclothymia, you experience periods when your mood noticeably shifts up and down from your baseline. You may feel on top of the world for a time, followed by a low period when you feel somewhat down. Between these cyclothymic highs and lows, you may feel stable and fine.

Overview

Cyclothymia is thought to be relatively rare. But true estimates are hard to pin down because people may be misdiagnosed as having other mood disorders, such as depression. This mood disorder typically starts during the teenage years or young adulthood. It affects about the same number of males and females.

There’s no sure way to prevent cyclothymia. However, treatment at the earliest indication of a mental health disorder can help prevent cyclothymia from worsening. Long-term preventive treatment also can help prevent minor symptoms from becoming full-blown episodes of hypo mania, mania or major depression.

In order to be diagnosed with cyclothymia, adults must have had episodes for at least two years. Cyclothymia is quite rare in children and teens; but to receive a diagnosis, they must have had episodes for at least one year. Environmental factors are also a likely contributing factor to being diagnosed with cyclothymia. As with bipolar disorder and major depression, certain life events may increase your chances of developing cyclothymia. These include things like physical or sexual abuse or other traumatic experiences and prolonged periods of stress.

Conclusion