Differences Between Cyclothymia and Major Depression

Psychological disorders are very varied, but many of them coincide in terms of symptoms. Sometimes it is difficult to clearly and definitively differentiate between a disorder such as major depression and others such as brief recurrent depression or bipolar disorder.

This is why there are diagnostic manuals, such as the DSM or the ICD, which allow a differential diagnosis to be carried out and ensure that the patient receives the appropriate diagnosis and treatments.

Sometimes major depression and cyclothymia, which presents hypomania-depression cycles, can cause some confusion For this reason we are going to explain them in this article, in addition to mentioning the 4 main differences between both disorders.

Brief definition of both disorders

First of all, let’s know the definition and basic characteristics of both disorders.

major depression

Major depression is a psychological disorder characterized by manifesting deep pathological sadness for at least two weeks Depressed people often have very low self-esteem, little interest in doing activities they previously liked, as well as lack of energy and pain without an apparent cause. Due to all this, the disorder can have a very serious impact on the life of the depressed person, affecting their social relationships, work, studies and general health.

Cyclothymia

Cyclothymia, also called cyclothymic disorder, It is a psychological disorder in which there are periods with depressive symptoms and periods with hypomanic symptoms The occurrence of these episodes has to be about two years

Differences between both disorders

Below we are going to know what the differences are between cyclothymia and major depression.

1. Episodes vs. constant state

The main difference between both disorders is that In cyclothymia there are hypomanic and depressive episodes while in major depression only depressive symptoms occur

In depression, the episodes are unipolar, that is, there are no sudden changes in mood as occurs in bipolar disorder or cyclothymia, in which one goes from a low mood to a high one, with manic symptoms.

In major depression these symptoms last for at least two weeks, and can last up to months and years.

On the other hand, in cyclothymia, as occurs with bipolar disorder, there are episodes that go from one extreme of the mood to the other.

Although the symptoms are not as severe as in bipolar disorder, some episodes present with depressive symptoms while others have hypomanic symptoms.

When depressive episodes occur without being accompanied by episodes of mania, depression is often referred to as unipolar.

In cyclothymia there are depressive episodes, in which symptoms typical of depression manifest, but hypomanic episodes also occur. Thus, in cyclothymia there are variations in mood that go slightly beyond euthymia.

2. Severity of symptoms

The symptoms of major depression are various, some of them being insomnia and hypersomnia weight gain and loss without dieting, fatigue and loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness, concentration problems, along with deep sadness, suicidal ideation and self-harm attempts.

All of these symptoms are serious and have a very negative impact on the life of the depressed person.

Although cyclothymia also has an impact on a person’s life, it does not do so as seriously as major depression does.

It is true that in cyclothymia there are depressive symptoms, however, these do not acquire the severity of those of major depression. Furthermore, depressive episodes in cyclothymia do not usually last as long as in depression, rarely exceeding two weeks.

Due to all this, cyclothymia is not as harmful as major depression, although it is worth noting that it is not adaptive to have frequent depressive episodes, since it can make it difficult to maintain a partner or continue studies and work.

The same happens with the hypomanic episodes of cyclothymia when compared to the manic highs typical of bipolar disorder. While in bipolar disorder there is euphoria and a feeling of invincibility, in cyclothymia these symptoms are less severe

3. Seeking help

Although all people would need to go to the psychologist, either to check that we are okay or to see if something is wrong with us and start treatment as soon as possible, The truth is that not all people with psychological disorders decide to seek help

Relating to the previous point, due to the difference in the severity of the symptoms of both disorders, there are also differences on the part of those affected by these disorders when it comes to seeking help.

In major depression, as there is a very noticeable impact on life, professional help is usually sought more often and sooner than in the case of cyclothymia.

It is true that there may be reluctance to go to a psychologist or psychiatrist, but given that the person with major depression is very aware that they are suffering and their environment there is also usually more pressure from the family to seek help. that he needs so much.

However, the same does not happen with people affected by cyclothymia. As changes in mood can be confused with normal and healthy changes of a somewhat unstable person or relate it to their personality, the degree of concern is lower and considering the fact that one is suffering from a psychological problem is not so frequent.

However, seeking help never goes too far given that it is estimated that between 15% and 50% of the population of people with cyclothymia will progress to bipolar disorder with episodes of greater severity.

4. Differential diagnosis

For cyclothymia to be diagnosed, it is necessary that the patient has manifested depressive and hypomanic episodes for a period of more than two years.

In the case of major depression, the diagnosis can be given if the person reports suffering from depressive symptoms for more than two weeks.

Major depression is classified in the DSM-5 as a mood disorder and such a disorder is diagnosed when at least one depressive episode has occurred, without the symptoms of mania or hypomania.

Usually, if there has been an episode with manic symptoms, major depression is ruled out and the possibility of a cyclothymic or bipolar disorder is raised.

Cyclothymia is classified as a subtype of bipolar disorder. The intervals in which neither depressive nor hypomanic symptoms occur are no longer than two months.

It should be said that during the diagnosis of cyclothymia it is necessary to find out if the person has consumed drugs, given that some of them can affect the mood in such a way that there are episodes of euphoria followed by emotional depressions that can be misinterpreted as a cyclothymic disorder.