Bipolar Disorder

  1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Bipolar Disorder

Cyclothymia

Cyclothymia is a form of Bipolar Disorder consisting of periods in which symptoms of hypomania or depression are present but do not constitute a major manic or depressive episode. A differentiating characteristic of this type of BP is that symptoms are never absent for more than two months.
Cyclothymia
According to the official US definition as outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association, Cyclothymic Disorder - also called Cyclothymia - is "a chronic, fluctuating mood disturbance involving numerous periods of hypomanic symptoms and numerous periods of depressive symptoms."
Cyclothymia Defined
A concise definition from The Bipolar Disorder Glossary.
Cyclothymia - An Overview from the MayoClinic
Cyclothymia, or cyclothymic disorder, is a chronic mood disorder that results in short periods of mild emotional and behavioral "highs" alternating with short periods of mild to moderate depression. People with cyclothymia also experience intermittent periods of emotional and behavioral stability.
Cyclothymia - An Overview from McMan's Depression & Bipolar Web
John McManamy notes that while descriptions portray cyclothymia as a mild disorder, it is so 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.
Cyclothymic Disorder
This site offers a compilation of information on this disorder, including both American and European descriptions, from Internet Mental Health.

Explore Bipolar Disorder

About.com Special Features

Bipolar Disorder

  1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Bipolar Disorder
  4. Forms of BP
  5. Cyclothymia

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.