Symptoms and Complications
Radical changes in mood and behavior (alternating between highs and lows) are typical signs of cyclothymia.
During a mood "high," the person may feel very optimistic and cheerful and may have an increased drive to reach their goals. Unfortunately, this is often coupled with poor judgment, racing thoughts, difficulty concentrating, and sometimes even aggressive behavior. The "highs" of cyclothymia are similar to those of bipolar disorder but are less severe.
During a mood "low," the person has symptoms similar to depression: feeling sad and hopeless, losing interest in things they used to enjoy, feeling guilty or worthless, having trouble concentrating, thinking of suicide, and having problems with eating or sleeping. The "lows" of cyclothymia are similar to those seen in mild to moderate depression.
This continual - and unpredictable - mood cycling often takes its toll on an individual's life, even though altered mood episodes aren't as extreme as with bipolar disorder. Mood changes make it difficult to sustain enthusiasm for new projects or for work. Personal relationships tend to suffer from the "warm-cool" ups and downs of the person's mood. Over time, mood cycling can lead to repeated loss of employment and may become destructive to personal relationships.