The main or characteristic of cyclothymia (or cyclothymic disorder) is a chronic and fluctuating mood swing, can we say that cyclothymia exists?Small-sister bipolar disorder.
In cyclothymia, mood fluctuations result in several periods of hypomaniacal symptoms and periods of depressive symptoms that differ from each other; what really matters is that hypomaniacal symptoms are insufficient in number, severity, generalization, or duration to meet the criteria of a hypomaniacal episode.
- The same goes for depressive symptoms.
- Depressive symptoms are insufficient in number.
- Severity.
- Generalization or duration to meet the criteria of a major depressive episode.
- Otherwise we would be talking about bipolar disorder.
- So we refer to cyclothymia as the “little sister”.
- Bipolar disorder.
When we talk about hypomania we mean a condition similar to mania, but of lower intensity, hypomania is a psychiatric disorder that manifests itself as transient-looking irritability or arousal, is less important or incomplete from a manic episode.
Symptoms of hypomania include a mood that is exalted over several days associated with restlessness, decreased sleep time, hyperactivity and exaggerated self-confidence, showing significant changes with respect to the person’s precondition. Hospitalization is usually not necessary, unlike mania.
As for the depressive symptoms that occur in cyclothymia, we can say that they are the same as those seen in any depressed person, however, these symptoms are not as striking or as intense as in a major depressive episode.
In addition to what has already been presented, during the first two years of the disorder symptoms should be persistent, i. e. they are present almost every day, in the case of children and adolescents the test is one year instead of two.
For diagnosis, no interval in which the person has symptoms can last more than two months, if this occurs it would not be a case of cyclothymia, in addition, the diagnosis of cyclothymia is only made if the criteria of major depression, manic or hypomaniacal episodes are not met.
Cyclothymia should not be diagnosed if the pattern of mood swings is best explained by schizoafective disorder, schizophrenia, schizophrenic disorder, delusional disorder or schizophrenic spectrum disorder or other psychotic disorders In other words, these other disorders are preferred in diagnosis if necessary the criteria are met.
On the other hand, even in relation to its diagnosis, a cyclothymia should not be confused with a change of mood due to the physiological effects of a substance or other medical condition, some substances (drugs or medications) may trigger similar symptoms.
As with most psychological disorders, there must be clinically significant change or deterioration to diagnose cyclothymia. This change can occur in social, professional or other important areas of operation and is the result of a change of mood.
According to DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), the following diagnostic criteria must be present to diagnose a cyclothymic disorder:
The onset of this disorder is usually insidious and its duration is persistent; in addition, there is a 15-50% risk that a patient with cyclothymia will subsequently develop bipolar I or bipolar II disorder.
As we have seen, cyclothymic disorder or cyclothymia is a disorder associated with bipolar disorder, it differs in that hypomaniacal symptoms do not meet the criteria of a hypomaniacal episode; In addition, depressive symptoms also do not meet the requirements of a major depression episode.