Does anyone know what cyclothymia is? I'm researching different subtypes of depression and mood disorders. I tend to be mindly unhappy (dysthimic), but every year or two experience a major depression (this is some form of cycling?). This has happened since about age 15, I am now 23. I've only ever been diagnosed with depression/anxiety, but am now thinking it may be something more. Apparently this is similar to bipolar 2, which I know nothing about. I don't have high high's though, just moderately content, unhappy, or depressed and hopeless. Can anybody help me out here? What types of meds help? I know my moods are no reaction to life. There seems to be no correlation with any major events and mood, beside, I have a very good life and always have. My life is fine, I just have always had a hard time being happy.

Cyclothymia, or bipolar IV disorder, is a VERY mild form of bipolar disorder with constantly cycling highs and lows. It's quite different from bipolar II because they suffer from hypomania to a greater degree than the cyclothymics' hypomanic symptoms and they actually have major depressions. Dysthymia IS a part of cyclothymia, the depressive part, but these folks also experience mild hypomania as well. They are almost never baseline, always either down or up. I'm on Lamictal because both I, my PCP, and my psychiatrist highly think that I'm cyclothymic, and now that I'm on the medication, which is working for my mood swings very well, I'm even more convinced. For a personal example, ever since I was four (I'm 18 now), I've had ever fluctuating moods. My mom used to say that I could go from being miserable and irritated one minute to silly and giddy the next, and it was very true. I don't have "typical" depression, more like an irritation, but before I went on the Lamictal this fall, I was having a really tough time adjusting to college because of my OCD and mild Asperger's- not homesickness whatsoever, but rather, an incapability to get used to having a roommate, constantly being around annoying people, and not having a real structured schedule like highschool. So, I'd call my mom one week having a breakdown and sobbing, and then, she'd call to check on me a few hours later, and I was fine, laughing and smiling. As you can well imagine, this interfered with my life substantially, nothing to the point as a real bipolar person has to deal with, but bad enough that meds were needed. It actually sounds more like major depression to me than cyclothymia because you don't even have mild highs- you're either depressed or experiencing a euthymic (normal) mood. Did this help? Feel free to ask any more questions if not! God bless! :angel:
-GatsbyLuvr1920-

Thanks for the info. Yeah, you're right about depression, I definitely experience it. I don't think I'm bipolar because I don't have the highs. Yet I know the major lows are somewhat cyclic, on an annual or biannual basis. It usually is a slow decline in October where I slide into a hopeless feeling. It's not just SAD because it's dysthymia during the rest of the time and sometimes skips years. What do you all think? How often do moods have to fluctuate to be considered cyclic?