What is Cyclothymia?
Cyclothymia is a mild form of manic depression meaning that moods alternate from hyper-tension to depression. The two extremes will last from a day to a few weeks. They can be separated by a normal mood, but this never lasts for more than two months. Cyclothymia affects about one percent of the population, and is found in men and women equally. People with the highest rate of cyclothemia are usually in their teens or early twenties.

While it is not drastic mood changes, like manic-depression or bi-polar disorder, it can still cause stress and make it difficult to remain stable with personal and professional relationships because of the mood alterations. If it is not treated, it can become a higher form of manic depression or even to change to a bi-polar disorder. It is known that cyclothemia develops into manic depression or bi-polar disorder in thirty-three percent of the population.

How can you tell if you have cyclothemia?
Cyclothymia has been linked to genetics. If you have relatives suffering from depression or addiction, be aware of your moods. You are most likely to have cyclothymia if your moods change drastically. You go from being very productive and happy. Your mood will then swing to being very depressed and not being able to function at all. If you are in denial that you have the swinging mood changes, and those around you notice it, you should get help. Broken sleep patterns are another sign of cyclothymia. If you are in the mood of hypomania, you will most likely have trouble sleeping. If you are depressed, you want to sleep too much. There is also an increased and noticable difficulty in simple everyday tasks because of the drastic mood changes, such as working and maintaining relationships. Often times, those who have cyclothymia will turn to drugs and alcohol. This is to try and get the moods to change or alter.

Hypomanic Moods
The following types of moods are some of the signs of the hyper state of cyclothemia. The first is an increased level of energy and activity. This increased hyperness causes racing thoughts, jumping from one idea to another, being distracted, and talking very quickly. The second part of the hyper mood is restlessness. Usually hypomanic moods cause you to not be able to get a lot of sleep. One who is hypomanic is irritated easily, becomes distracted easily, and can even become aggressive. A third part to hypomania is increased levels of goals at work, home, and sexually. This is accompanied by unrealistic beliefs in ones abilities to accomplish things. Judgment becomes poor and often times the behavior is reckless. Lastly, one who is hypomanic will become disorganized.

Depressed Moods
The other side of being cyclothymic is being in a depressed mood. One who is depressed finds no interest or pleasure in activities. They become agitated very easily and have an increased loss of energy. They begin to think and move slower. The concentration levels in a depressed mood decrease. Physically, those in depressed moods will sleep too much. They will also lose or gain weight from a change in appetite. Often times, they will be unclean and unkempt with the dress style and will have poor to no eye contact. Negative thoughts often are part of the depressed mood as well as feeling sad, depressed and isolated. Some more severe depressed moods have thoughts of planning or attempting suicide.

Before the diagnosis of cyclothemia is made, you must have had these symptoms for at least two years. They are not as drastic as a manic-depressive disorder or bi-polar disorder.

Can cyclothymia be treated?
There are medications to help treat cyclothymia as well as things you can do in your daily life to calm the affects. If the condition does not seem to be that drastic, try omitting caffeine and food additives in your diet. For more drastic cyclothymia cases, lithium carbonate is the drug most commonly used. The lithium works as a mood stabilizer. Seeking counseling to get this drug, and finally using it, your life will become more stable.