Cyclothymia, also called cyclothymic disorder, makes you experience mood changes that range from low to emotional high. This condition has similar symptoms to bipolar disorder. In most cases, your symptoms are mild enough that you do not notice. The high feeling is so lovely that you do not realize it is a problem.
However, mood swings can affect your daily life, causing personal and social relationship problems. If you have Bethesda Cyclothymia, you may be at a high risk of developing bipolar disorder. Therefore, you must seek immediate medical care before getting a bipolar condition.
Symptoms
When you have cyclothymia, you experience many weeks of low-level depression followed by mild episodes of mania that lasts for several days. The common symptoms seen include:
Depressive symptoms include irritability, aggressiveness, insomnia, or hypersomnia. Low or high appetite, weight loss or gain, low energy, low sexual feelings, inattentiveness, or forgetfulness are other significant symptoms. You may experience hopelessness, worthlessness or guilt, and unexplainable physical symptoms. Recurrent thoughts of self-injury or suicide can also occur.
Manic symptoms include extreme high self-esteem, racing thoughts, lack of focus, hyperactivity, and increased anxiety. Argumentative, hypersexuality and impulsive behavior are also common symptoms. In some cases, you can talk or speak excessively quickly so that other people have trouble following what you are saying. You may also go for days with little or no sleep without feeling tired.
Sometimes you can experience a combination of manic and depressed symptoms, which occur within a short period, followed immediately by the other.
Treatment
Cyclothymic disorder is a chronic condition, so it requires lifelong treatment. If you stop taking medications, your symptoms will recur. There are various treatments your doctor can use, and they include:
Medications: There are many types of drugs your specialist will recommend to treat cyclothymia based on the symptoms you are experiencing. The commonly used medications are mood stabilizers such as lithium to help calm your feelings. Anti-seizure, also known as anticonvulsants, decreases the severity and number of your seizures and prevents and reduces anxiety. If you do not respond to anti-seizure medications, your doctor can recommend you use atypical antipsychotic drugs such as Seroquel or Risperdal. In patients with nervousness, anti-anxiety medications help. Antidepressants can be used but only in conjunction with a mood stabilizer because they cause harmful manic episodes on their own.
Psychotherapy: There are two primary types of psychotherapy used to treat cyclothymia; cognitive behavior therapy and well-being therapy. Cognitive behavior therapy involves your therapist identifying your negative or unhealthy beliefs and behaviors and replacing them with positive ones. It can also help you manage stress and develop coping techniques. Well-being therapy focuses on improving your entire quality of life rather than fixing particular psychological symptoms. Studies show that receiving both treatments improves patients’ lives with cyclothymic disorders. Other types of therapy that can enhance your cyclothymia include talk, family, or group therapies.
Since untreated cyclothymia can lead to bipolar disorder, ensure you get treatment from a reliable specialist. Avoid alcohol and drug abuse as they can increase your cyclothymia disorders. Schedule an appointment at Washington Center for Women’s & Children’s Wellness for cyclothymia treatment to improve your overall quality of life.
