Cyclothymia

Cyclothymia (, siy-kluh-THIY-mee-uh), also known as cyclothymic disorder, psychothemia / psychothymia, bipolar III, affective personality disorder and cyclothymic personality disorder, is a mental and behavioural disorder that involves numerous periods of symptoms of depression and periods of symptoms of elevated mood. These symptoms, however, are not sufficient to indicate a major depressive episode or a manic episode. Symptoms must last for more than one year in children and two years in adults. The cause of cyclothymia is unknown. Risk factors include a family history of bipolar disorder. Cyclothymia differs from bipolar disorder in the fact that major depression and mania are not found. Treatment is generally achieved with counseling and mood stabilizers such as lithium. It is estimated that 0.4–1% of people have cyclothymia at some point in their lives. The disorder's onset typically occurs in late childhood to early adulthood. Males and females are affected equally often.