Cyclothymia (patient information)

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Editor-in-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S.,M.D. [1] Phone:617-632-7753; Associate Editor-In-Chief: Lakshmi Gopalakrishnan, M.B.B.S.

Cyclothymic disorder is a mild form of bipolar disorder (manic depressive illness) in which a person has mood swings over a period of years that go from mild depression to euphoria and excitement.

• Episodes of hypomania and mild depression occur for at least 2 years (1 or more years in children and adolescents)

• Mood swings are less severe than in bipolar disorder, major depression, or mania

• Symptoms are persistent, with no more than 2 symptom-free months in a row

• The causes of cyclothymic disorder are unknown.

• Major depression, bipolar disorder, and cyclothymia often occur together in families. This suggests that these mood disorders share similar causes.

• Cyclothymia usually begins early in life. It appears to be equally common in men and women.

• Call a mental health professional if you or a loved one has persistent alternating periods of depression and excitement that negatively affect work, school, or social life.

• Seek immediate help if you or a loved one is having thoughts of suicide.

• Your description of your mood history usually leads to diagnosis of the disorder.

• Your health care providers may order blood and urine tests to rule out medical causes of mood swings.

• Mood stabilizers, antidepressants, talk therapy, or some combination of these three therapies may be used to treat cyclothymic disorder.

• Some of the more commonly used mood stabilizers are:

• Lithium: Lithium has been used for years in patients with bipolar disorder, and it may also help patients with cyclothymic disorder.

• Anti-seizure drugs: Valproic acid (Depakote), carbamazepine (Tegretol), oxcarbazepine (Trileptal), and lamotrigine (Lamictal) are the most established mood stabilizing antiseizure drugs.

• People with cyclothymia may not respond to medications as strongly as patients with bipolar disorder.

Directions to Hospitals Treating Cyclothymia

• Less than half of people with cyclothymic disorder will eventually develop bipolar disorder.

• In other people, cyclothymia will continue as a chronic condition or disappear with time.

The condition can progress to bipolar disorder.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001550.htm

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