Bipolar Cyclothymic Disorder

What is the cyclothymic bipolar disorder definition? “Cyclothymic bipolar disorder” is another term for cyclothymia, a mood disorder characterized by recurring periods of hypomania (a milder form of mania) and depression. As a result, in cyclothymia, people experience frequent mood swings, but their symptoms are not as severe as those in bipolar I or bipolar II disorder.

All in all, bipolar I disorder involves full manic episodes, while in bipolar II disorder, people experience less severe hypomanic episodes but also significant major depressive episodes. In contrast, people with cyclothymia do not experience full-blown mania or severe depression, but rather subthreshold hypomanic and depressive episodes.

Furthermore, the cyclothymic bipolar disorder definition refers to the cyclical nature of mood states in this condition and its connection to bipolar disorder, although cyclothymia is sometimes considered a mild form of bipolar disorder. Even more, cyclothymic bipolar disorder can cause significant distress and functional impairment if left untreated. While there is no cure for cyclothymia, it is treatable with therapy and medication.

Bipolar Cyclothymic Disorder Symptoms

Cyclothymia symptoms are similar to those of bipolar I or II disorder, but they’re less severe. When you have cyclothymia, you can typically function in your daily life, though not always well. The unpredictable nature of your mood shifts may significantly disrupt your life because you never know how you’re going to feel.

Hypomanic symptoms

Signs and symptoms of the highs of cyclothymia may include:

Firstly, An exaggerated feeling of happiness or well-being (euphoria)
Extreme optimism
Inflated self-esteem
Fourthly, Talking more than usual
Poor judgment that can result in risky behavior or unwise choices
Racing thoughts
Irritable or agitated behavior
Excessive physical activity
In addition, Increased drive to perform or achieve goals (sexual, work related or social)
Decreased need for sleep
Tendency to be easily distracted
Inability to concentrate
Finally, Depressive symptoms

Signs and symptoms of the lows of cyclothymia may include:

Feeling sad, hopeless or empty
Tearfulness
Irritability, especially in children and teenagers
Loss of interest in activities once considered enjoyable
Changes in weight
Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
Sleep problems
Restlessness
Fatigue or feeling slowed down
Problems concentrating
Thinking of death or suicide

Cyclothymia Triggers

Consequently, many experts say cyclothymic disorder is a mild form of bipolar disorder. No one is sure what causes cyclothymia or bipolar disorder. Therefore, genetics play a role in the development of both these disorders. People with cyclothymia are more likely to have relatives with bipolar disorder and vice versa.

Types of Bipolar Cyclothymic

For the most part, bipolar disorder is a category that includes three different diagnoses: bipolar I, bipolar II, and cyclothymic disorder.

 Bipolar l Disorder

Bipolar I disorder is diagnosed when a person experiences a manic episode. In any event, during a manic episode, people with bipolar I disorder experience an extreme increase in energy. They also may feel on top of the world or uncomfortably irritable in mood. In addition, some people with bipolar I disorder also experience depressive or hypomanic episodes, and most people with bipolar I disorder also have periods of neutral mood.

 Bipolar ll Disorder

A diagnosis of bipolar II disorder requires someone to have at least one major depressive episode and at least one hypomanic episode. People return to their usual functioning between episodes. In the meantime, people with bipolar II disorder often first seek treatment as a result of their first depressive episode, since hypomanic episodes often feel pleasurable. Also, it can even increase performance at work or school.

In particular, people with bipolar II disorder frequently have other mental illnesses such as an anxiety disorder or substance use disorder, the latter of which can exacerbate symptoms of depression or hypomania.

 Cyclothymic Disorder

In reality, cyclothymic disorder is a milder form of bipolar disorder involving many “mood swings,” with hypomania and depressive symptoms that occur frequently. Therefore, people with cyclothymia experience emotional ups and downs but with less severe symptoms than bipolar I or II disorder.

Cyclothymic disorder symptoms include the following:

For at least two years, many periods of hypomanic and depressive symptoms, but the symptoms do not meet the criteria for hypomanic or depressive episode.
In essense, during the two-year period, the symptoms (mood swings) have lasted for at least half the time and have never stopped for more than two months.

Cyclothymia Therapies

Treatment for cyclothymia usually involves psychotherapy (talk therapy) and medication.

 Cyclothymia Psychotherapy

There are several different types of psychotherapy. In effect, studies have shown that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) specifically works best to help treat cyclothymia.

Psychotherapy can help reduce distress by teaching you to:

Firstly, Recognize, monitor and manage the symptoms of cyclothymia.
Cope with stressful situations.
Change the way you think, react and problem-solve.
Improve communication and interactions with others.
Finally, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hasn’t approved any specific medications to treat cyclothymia. However, sometimes, providers prescribe a mood stabilizer to help reduce the swings in your mood. These medications may include valproate, lamotrigine and/or lithium.

 Cyclothymia Medication

In fact, no medicines are specifically approved for the treatment of cyclothymia, although mood stabilizers such as lithium or lamotrigine are sometimes recommended as a possible strategy to reduce mood fluctuations. In contrast, antidepressants such Prozac, Paxil, or Zoloft are generally not recommended unless someone develops a full major depression. This, by definition, does not occur in cyclothymic disorder. In like manner, there is also a small risk that antidepressants could trigger or worsen mania symptoms in a subgroup of vulnerable people. Antidepressants alone also are not known to improve fluctuations in mood, which are hallmark characteristics of cyclothymic disorder.

Conclusion

What is a person with bipolar cyclothymia like? In other words, if you have cyclothymia, you’ll have periods of feeling low followed by periods of feeling very happy and excited (called hypomania). Also, you do not need much sleep, are more sociable and impulsive and feel that you have a lot of energy.

Here is a cyclothymia test online,

In the long run, cyclothymia is characterized by early onset, persistent, spontaneous and reactive mood fluctuations. These are associated with a variety of anxious and impulsive behaviors, resulting in a very rich and complex clinical presentation.

Cyclothymia can sometimes develop into bipolar 1 or bipolar 2. Hence, cyclothymia can be a difficult diagnosis to receive. Meanwhile, you may feel as though someone is saying your symptoms are ‘not serious enough’, but this isn’t the case. Cyclothymia can seriously impact your life.