Cyclothymia (Cyclothymic Disorder)

Cyclothymia (cyclothymic disorder) is a milder form of bipolar disorder. It involves frequent mood swings of hypomanic and depressive episodes.

Bipolar disorder is a lifelong mood disorder and mental health condition that causes intense shifts in mood, energy levels, thinking patterns and behavior. These shifts can last for days, weeks or months. They can interrupt your ability to carry out day-to-day tasks.

People with cyclothymic experience episodes of hypomania and mild depression for at least two years. These changes in mood can occur quickly and at any time. A person with cyclothymia may have brief periods of normal mood (euthymia), but these periods last fewer than eight weeks.

Who does cyclothymia (cyclothymic disorder) affect?

Cyclothymia most often appears in adolescence or early adulthood.

How common is cyclothymia (cyclothymic disorder)?

Cyclothymia affects approximately 0.4% to 1% of people in the United States.

Because many of the symptoms of cyclothymia overlap with other mental health conditions, many researchers think cyclothymia is considerably underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed.