Cyclothymia

Cyclothymia disorder is a chronic and irregular mood disturbance that involves plentiful periods of hypomanic symptoms and loads of depressive symptoms. This means that this is a long term condition where the person who has this disorder will have mood cycles in between hypomania. You may feel on top of the world for a time, followed by a low period when you feel somewhat blue. Between these cyclothymic highs and lows, you may feel stable and fine. Even if this is a mild to somewhat severe case, it could include having delusions, hallucinations or other psychotic characteristics the depression that can come with it also can be mild to somewhat severe but would not be unbearable or in the depths of despair.

The constant cycling between stable and symptomatic mood states often leads to short-lived or strained relationships, insecure self-identity, job instability, uneven performance in school, a history of ambitious but unfulfilled endeavors, or patterns of risky behaviors in sexual encounters or drug and alcohol use. Cyclothymia is a mild disorder and it is only relative to the severity of Bipolar I and Bipolar II disorders. Cyclothymia can completely disrupt the life of an individual and create personal chaos. In their continual oscillation of mood, they never know from one day to the next what to expect.

Equally common in men and women, from 0.4% to 1% of the U.S. population has Cyclothymia. Symptoms usually begin in adolescence or young adulthood. Eventually approx 30 percent of individuals with Cyclothymia experience a full-blown manic episode or major depression, and their diagnosis is changed to Bipolar I or II.

Symptoms:
In most people, the pattern of mood is irregular and unpredictable. In between up and down moods, a person might have normal moods for more than a month -- or may cycle continuously from hypomanic to depressed, with no normal period in between. Cyclothymia can straddle the line between mental illness and normal variations in mood and personality. A person's ability to manage the symptoms of the disorder depends upon a number of personal, social, and cultural factors.

• Unable to maintain enthusiasm for new projects due to mood changes.
• Abrupt changes in personality from cheerful, confident and energetic to sad, blue or "mean".
• Inflated self-esteem.
• Aggressive or hostile behavior.
• The affected person will tend to be more ill-tempered or dark, more than euphoric or happy.
• Nearly constant talking.

Causes:
• It can happen if it's heredity that tends to run in families.
• May be some genetic factor is causing Cyclothymia disorder.
• People with Cyclothymia may more likely relate with bipolar disorder and vice versa.
• Psychosocial factors.
• Stress.

Treatment:
The treatment for the Cyclothymia Disorder will require a combination of the anti-manic drugs, some anti-depressants, or can be psychotherapy. Mood stabilizers can also be a good option for those sufferers who prefer medication.

» Couples or Family therapy is often sought to help with the problems in relationships brought on by the disorder.
» Lithium, a mood stabilizer used commonly in the treatment of Bipolar Disorder, has been proven to help a substantial number of people with Cyclothymia.
» Psychotherapy, also called counseling or talk therapy, can play a vital part in treating Cyclothymia disorder.
» Anticonvulsants, such as valproic acid (Depakene), divalproex (Depakote) and carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol) are useful for Cyclothymia.
» Antipsychotics, such as risperidone (Risperdal), olanzapine (Zyprexa) and quetiapine (Seroquel) are also useful for Cyclothymia.

If you're so keen in curing your disorder then regular, vigorous physical exercise can help with mood regulation and emotional stability. The best ways to cope are to learn about Cyclothymia, find a support group, and stay focused on your goals.