Do you suffer from constant emotional ups and downs? Do you go from happy to sad too easily? You may suffer from cyclothymic disorder. Discover its symptoms and how to deal with it.
When a person suffers from cyclothymia You often experience frequent ups and downs in your emotions and energy levels. Cyclothymic disorder is milder than bipolar disorder but it also affects the relationships and professional life of the person who suffers from it.
What is cyclothymia?
He cyclothymic disorder It is a mood disorder that affects the way those who suffer from it perceive reality. During cyclothymia, moods range between short periods of mild depression and hypomania, that is, a mood that is synonymous with euphoria.
Although this pathology has many similarities with bipolar disorder, mood changes of a cyclothymic or cyclothymic They never reach the severity or duration of the episodes of depression or mania that a bipolar suffers from.
Therefore, those who suffer from a cyclothymic disorder They usually have much milder symptoms than those with bipolar disorder. Even so, these disorders have many similarities.
Symptoms of cyclothymia
In the same way that they occur in bipolar disorder, a cyclothymic or cyclothymic He usually experiences changes between a hypomanic state and a depressive state. Despite this, the symptoms are not severe enough to be diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The main symptoms of a cyclothymic disorder are the following.
Hypomania
- Energetic and happy mood: The cyclothymics in hypomania They usually appear with a lot of energy and are extremely happy.
- Racing thoughts: In addition to appearing with energy, this euphoria is also synonymous with having more accelerated thoughts, which also leads to acting in a more compulsive way.
- To talk a lot: The people who are in this cyclothymia phase They tend to talk more than usual, without pauses and without listening to others, making relationships with others difficult.
- Less need for sleep: During the hypomanic phase of cyclothymics people usually end up sleeping fewer hours to be able to take advantage of the energy they feel inside.
- Lack of concentration: Impulsivity, persistent thoughts, and excess energy make it more difficult to the cyclothymics be able to concentrate on your daily tasks.
Depression
- Feeling sad, empty or hopeless: During the depression phase of a cyclothymic disorder People often feel empty, sad or with a lack of hope towards everything they do in their daily lives.
- Lack of interest: Usually, the cyclothymics Those who are in this phase usually have little desire to do those activities that they normally enjoy.
- Not being able to sleep or sleeping too much: Sleep is one of the first affected when you suffer from a mental pathology. Likewise, people who have a cyclothymic disorder and are in the depressive phase, their sleep rhythms tend to be altered.
- Fatigue or loss of energy : Another of the characteristics of cyclothymia During the depressive phase it is the inability to have enough energy to perform daily tasks.
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt: Finally, people with a depressed mood due to a cyclothymic disorder They usually end up perceiving themselves as useless or guilty due to what they feel and all the havoc that this pathology has on their lives.
People who have these ups and downs in your mood Different areas of their lives tend to be affected. So much so that a cyclothymic disorder can end up causing havoc in the personal and professional life of the person who suffers from it.
How is cyclothymia treated?
Even though the symptoms of cyclothymia They are not as serious as other mood disorders, it is important that those who suffer from them seek professional help. On many occasions, those who are affected by this fluctuation synonymous with this mental disorder tend to think that there is no need for it because it is not perceived as such a serious condition. In reality, this disorder can lead people who suffer from it to different consequences on a psychological, personal and professional level.
The objective of cyclothymia treatment together with a mental health professional is precisely to stabilize the emotional ups and downs derived from these pathologies. Thanks to psychotherapy, patients can learn different strategies that help reduce the distress that occurs during the mood changes typical of cyclothymics. In addition, it is also committed to establishing strategies to deal with different stressful situations, as well as the professional and relational effects that a cyclothymic disorder can have.
In some cases, the decision is made to medicate the cyclothymic patient with mood stabilizers something that is usually done only in cases of bipolarity (something that the specialist doctor will decide and evaluate).
What are the complications of cyclothymia?
The cyclothymia It has a series of effects on the lives of those who suffer from it. Mainly, psychologists highlight the following.
- Inability to maintain positive relationships: Due to emotional ups and downs people can present various difficulties in their relationships, especially in the most intimate ones such as those as a couple.
- Irritability: have these emotional changes It can lead the person to a feeling of constant irritability, whether they are in the hypomania or depression phases. The reason is that they feel like they can’t stay persistent when doing an activity that matters to them.
- Frustration: In people who suffer from these mood swings , frustration can be more than constant. The reason for this is that they do not feel stable and perceive their life with little consistency or constancy, which makes them feel emptier around their daily routine.
Living with Cyclothymia
In most cases, the cyclothymic disorder It is usually chronic, that is, it prevails throughout life. On certain occasions, cyclothymia can dissipate and be resolved through psychotherapy work that improves the management of ups and downs and sensations.
A cyclothymic disorder It can affect self-esteem, relationships, and the general life of those who suffer from it. Therefore, it is necessary to go to a professional psychologist if you think you are dealing with a case of cyclothymia. Our state of mind is what helps us achieve happiness and success in life.