Cyclothymia or cyclothymic disorder, is a chronic mood disorder that results in short periods of mild emotional and behavioral "highs" alternating with short periods of mild to moderate depression. People with cyclothymia also experience intermittent periods of emotional and behavioral stability.
Cyclothymia is a less severe form of bipolar disorder, the latter of which results in extreme swings between manic or hypomanic episodes and major depressive episodes. Although people with cyclothymia may develop bipolar disorder, the less severe condition isn't simply the onset or an early alert of the more severe condition.
The estimated prevalence of cyclothymia is between 0.4 percent and 1 percent of the general population in the United States. It usually begins during adolescence or early adulthood.
