There are some days, right? When you wake up in the morning, you feel incredibly happy and full of energy. You feel like you can conquer the whole world. But by the evening, for no reason, you feel bored with the whole world, and you don't feel like doing anything, and you feel a little sad. Do you often experience things like this? This is not just something different, perhaps the reason for this is a mental condition called Cyclothymia. Don't worry, let's talk about this simply and in detail.
What is Cyclothymia?
Simply put, cyclothymia is a mild but long-term form of bipolar disorder. Like bipolar disorder, your mood swings rapidly, but not as severely as bipolar disorder.
Think of bipolar as a big tsunami. Cyclothymia is like a series of small waves that come and go, but are not as severe. These waves keep coming and can interfere with your ability to live your life normally.
In this situation, you will mainly experience a shift between two moods:
1. Hypomania: In this phase, you feel extremely happy, energetic, and active.
2. Mild Depression: In this stage, you feel sad, hopeless, and have lost interest in life.
These changes can happen very quickly, sometimes within a day. Sometimes your mood may be normal (euthymia), but that period is less than eight weeks. This condition usually begins in adolescence.
What are the symptoms of cyclothymia?
In this condition, there are clearly signs of mood swings (hypomania) and depression. Let's look at what these signs are separately. These may be very familiar to you.
| Symptoms of Hypomania | Mild Depressive Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Feeling unusually energetic and strong. Very little sleep. Feeling like you've had enough even after a few hours of sleep. | Feeling tired and lacking energy all the time. Losing interest in things you used to enjoy. |
| Talking very fast. Feeling like thoughts are flowing through your mind. Jumping from one topic to another quickly. | Feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and emptiness. Feelings of guilt or worthlessness. |
| Easily distracted. Jumping around, unable to complete one task properly. | Difficulty concentrating and making decisions. Memory is also a little weak. |
| Over-focusing on goals (work, schoolwork, social activities) Starting too many tasks at once. | Changes in sleep patterns. Either insomnia (sleeplessness) or excessive sleeping (hypersomnia). |
| Having great self-confidence. The feeling that you can do anything. | Changes in eating habits. Either loss of appetite or overeating. |
| Taking risks without considering the negative consequences. For example, spending money impulsively, making rash business decisions. | Trying to stay away from society. Preferring to be alone, away from friends and family. |
The important thing is that in cyclothymia, these symptoms are not as severe as in major depression or the peak of bipolar disorder (mania). But these mild changes can continue to have a significant impact on your daily life, relationships, and work.
Why is this happening?
Scientists still don't know exactly why this is, but they believe that several factors may be contributing to it.
- Genetic link: It is also thought that this may run in families. This means that if someone in your family has bipolar disorder or depression, you have a small risk of developing the condition too.
- Environmental factors: Traumatic events in life or prolonged stress can trigger the condition in some people. For example, a serious illness, a relationship breakdown, or problems at work.
How do you know for sure if this is cyclothymia?
This condition can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms are similar to those of many other mental illnesses. For example:
- Major depressive disorder
- Bipolar II disorder
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Personality disorders
Therefore, if you have these symptoms, it is very important to see a qualified doctor . He will follow several steps to accurately diagnose the condition.
1. Asking about your symptoms: The doctor will ask you about what you are feeling, how long you have had them, and how they are affecting your life.
2. Complete medical history: It is also important here to know if anyone in your family has mental illnesses.
3. Physical examination: Blood tests are done to check for other physical conditions (e.g. hyperthyroidism) that could be causing these symptoms.
4. A mental health evaluation: Your doctor may refer you to a mental health specialist, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist.
A doctor will diagnose this as cyclothymia if the following criteria are met:
* If you are an adult, you must have these symptoms of depression and anxiety at least 50% of the time for at least two years. For children and young people, this period is one year.
* During this period, you cannot have been symptom-free for more than two consecutive months.
* These symptoms should not be caused by other drug use or a physical condition.
* Also, these symptoms must cause significant distress or disruption to your daily life.
What are the treatments for this?
Many people do not seek medical attention because their symptoms are mild. However, getting treatment can make your life much easier. There are two main types of treatment.
1. Psychotherapy
This is the main form of treatment. Simply put, it involves talking about your problems and feelings with a mental health counselor . Through this, you can:
- You will be able to identify and manage your symptoms.
- You can learn how to cope with stress.
- You can change negative patterns in the way you think and behave.
- You can improve your relationships with others.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), in particular, has been found to be very effective for cyclothymia.
2. Medication
There are no specific medications approved for cyclothymia. However, in some cases, your doctor may prescribe mood stabilizers to help control your rapid mood swings. Examples include valproate, lamotrigine, and lithium.
Very important: Only your doctor can decide whether to give you this medicine, what to give you, and how long to give it. Never use these medicines on your own or as someone else tells you.
What will the future be like with this situation?
Living with this condition can be challenging. The constant mood swings can make it difficult to maintain good relationships with family, friends, work colleagues, and spouses.
However, compared to people with bipolar disorder, people with cyclothymia:
- The number of hospitalizations is reduced.
- The number of days I can't go to work is decreasing.
- You can continue your work more steadily.
The best thing to do is to recognize the symptoms early and seek treatment. If you do, you can greatly reduce the impact on your life and live a successful, happy life.
If you have these symptoms, don't suffer alone. It's not your fault. See a doctor and talk to him. Remember that doctors and your loved ones are there to help you.
Take-Home Message
- Cyclothymia is a mild form of bipolar disorder, characterized by frequent mood swings.
- This involves alternating periods of feeling high and energetic (Hypomania) and mild sadness and loss of interest (Depression).
- If you have these symptoms, don't ignore them as normal. Don't panic. Definitely see a doctor and get advice.
- With proper treatment (talk therapy and medication if necessary), you can control this condition well and live a normal, healthy life.
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