What are the symptoms of cyclothymia?

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What are the symptoms of cyclothymia?

Symptoms of cyclothymia include mood swings that alternate between mild to moderate “highs” and “lows.” A “high” is defined as a distinct period of time in which a person experiences abnormal and persistently elevated or irritable mood along with an abnormal increase in activity or energy. Additional symptoms include:

  • Having a high level of self-esteem
  • Being very talkative
  • Having racing thoughts
  • Getting easily distracted
  • Having an increased focus on goals – work, school, social and sexual goals.
  • Having a feeling of being rested after as few as 3 hours of sleep
  • Having increased agitation
  • Getting overly involved in risky activities or activities that lack good judgment, such as spending sprees, sexual encounters, or unwise business decisions

A “low” is defined as a distinct period of time in which a person experiences depressed or hopeless mood and/or a decreased interest in previously enjoyed activities. Other symptoms that may be experienced during a “low” include:

  • Feelings of social isolation, low self-worth and guilt
  • Loss of appetite with weight loss
  • Difficulty falling asleep (insomnia) or trouble staying awake (hypersomnia) nearly every day
  • Fatigue or significant loss of energy
  • Decreased ability to concentrate
  • Recurrent thoughts of self injury and suicide

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