Dysthymia Vs Cyclothymia: Know What It Is and Their Key Differences

Dysthymia and cyclothymia are two versions of mood disorders with similar features making it difficult for individuals to understand which one they might have. Thus, understanding the detailed comparison of dysthymia vs cyclothymia can help. Read along to know more!

Dysthymia, is a continuous, long-lasting (chronic) form of depression also known as persistent depressive disorder. You could become unproductive, hopeless, and disinterested in your day to day activities. Also you will have low self-esteem and feel insufficient. Your relationships, employment, studies, and daily activities may be greatly hampered by these symptoms, which stays for years.

Their current state of depression may be mild, moderate, or severe, even though the persistent depressive disorder is not something serious as major depression.

Cyclothymia, commonly known as a cyclothymic disorder, is a rare mental illness. While emotional ups and downs are present in cyclothymia, they are not as severe as in bipolar I or II disorders.

When you have cyclothymia, you go through times when your mood noticeably changes from its baseline. For example, you might experience periods of feeling on top of the world and then a slump in which you feel slightly down. On the other hand, you might feel stable and okay in between these cyclothymic highs and lows.

Although cyclothymia's highs and lows are less intense than those of bipolar disorders, it's still important to get support for managing these symptoms. It is because they can impair your capacity to function and raise your risk of developing bipolar I or II disorder.

Symptoms of Cyclothymia

The symptoms of cyclothymia are comparable to those of bipolar I or II disorder but are less severe. Cyclothymia normally does not impair one's ability to carry out daily tasks. However, sometimes it may. In addition, your mood swings may considerably disrupt your life because you can never foresee how they will make you feel. Moreover, you may feel two mood elevations in cyclothymia- highs and lows.

The symptoms and warning signs of cyclothymia include:

• An overinflated sense of joy or well-being (euphoria).
• Upbeat mood.
• Heightened self-esteem.
• Increased talking than normal.
• Having poor judgement that can lead to risky behaviour or bad decisions.
• Flustered thinking.
• Agitation or irritability.
• Excessive exercising.
• Heigh motivation to perform or accomplish goals (sexual, work-related or social).
• Low sleep requirement.
• Tendency to get side-tracked easily.
• Inability to pay attention.
• Depression signs.

Symptoms of Dysthymia

The symptoms of dysthymia are:

• Loss of enthusiasm for routine activities.
• Sadness, emptiness, or a negative attitude.
• Hopelessness.
• Fatigue and insufficient energy.
• Self-doubt, self-judgement, or a sense of inadequacy.
• Having difficulties focusing and making judgments.
• Excessive irritability or fury.
• Decreased activity, efficacy, and output.
• Avoidance of social interactions.
• Guilt-ridden thoughts and concerns about the past.
• Increased hunger or poor appetite.
• Issues with sleep.

It is essential to know the causes behind cyclothymia and dysthymia so that when one gets diagnosed with it, they have a clear understanding of how it started. Therefore, given below are the details regarding the causes of both:

Causes of Cyclothymia

What mainly causes cyclothymia is unknown. Research indicates that, like many mental health illnesses, it could be brought on by a confluence of the following:

• Hereditary - Genetics since cyclothymia frequently runs in families.
• Brain Problem - Differences in how the brain functions, such as modifications to the neurobiology of the brain.
• Environmental Factor - Environmental problems, like traumatic events or prolonged stress.

Causes of Dysthymia

The exact reason for what causes dysthymia is unknown. However, it can involve many causes:

• Biological Differences - Brain alterations are possible in people with persistent depressive disorder. Although the importance of these changes is still unknown, they might eventually point to their root causes.
• Chemistry of Brain - Neurotransmitters are organic brain substances that probably contribute to depression. Recent studies suggest that alterations in these neurotransmitters' effects and their interactions with the neural circuits responsible for preserving mood stability may substantially impact depression and its treatment.
• Inherited Qualities - People with blood relatives who also suffer from persistent depressive illness appear to experience the disorder more frequently.
• Life Events - Similar to major depression, stressful experiences, including losing a loved one, struggling financially, or being stressed, can cause persistent depressive illness in certain people.

Cyclothymia risk factors are often confused with the risk factors of depression. As a result, individuals might even receive the wrong treatment for Cyclothymia, as medical professionals often treat it as depression. So, knowing the differences between cyclothymia and dysthymia will help you choose the right treatment method at the right time.

Risk Factors for Cyclothymia

Contrary to dysthymia, cyclothymia is considered relatively uncommon. This is because one might not receive the actual treatment as some patients may go undetected or receive the incorrect diagnosis of another mental disorder like depression. However, the factors that increase risks are:

• Age: Cyclothymia mostly starts at a young age, i.e., during young adulthood or teens.
• Sex: The disease affects both sexes, i.e., males and females.

Complications of Cyclothymia

• It can cause severe mental issues that impact every aspect of your life if you don't treat it.
• The possibility of eventually having bipolar I or II disorder is very high.
• The chances of substance abuse are widespread.
• You can also have a disorder of anxiousness.
• Your chance of having suicidal thoughts and committing suicide may be higher.

Risk Factors for Dysthymia

Dysthymia is a disorder that often begins early. It can happen in childhood, during young adult life, or in the teen years. Moreover, this disease is chronic, and certain factors can aggravate the risk of triggering or developing the persistent depressive disorder. The factors are mentioned below:

• Having someone from the family with depressive disorders.
• Going through stressful or traumatic life events, such as financial problems or losing a loved one.
• Having negative personality traits such as being too dependent, having low self-esteem, are pessimistic or self-critical.
• Having a history of other mental health issues like a personality disorder.

Complications of Dysthymia

• The chances of alcohol and drug abuse increases.
• You may develop relationship problems.
• There may be increased suicidal thoughts.
• The productivity at school will decrease.
• You can maintain a bad quality of life.

Apart from knowing the risk factors, causes and symptoms of cyclothymia and dysthymia, you should also be aware of the treatment methods. Here are the necessary details:

Treatment of Cyclothymia

The treatment of cyclothymia includes: 

• Medications: The Food and Drug Administration has not approved any drugs, particularly for cyclothymia; however, your doctor may prescribe drugs for bipolar illness. These drugs may aid in cyclothymia symptom control and guard against hypomanic and depressive episodes.
• Psychotherapy: A key component of treating cyclothymia is psychotherapy, often known as psychological counselling or talk therapy, which can be given in individual, family, or group settings. Many different sorts of therapy, including:
  • Behavioural and Cognitive Therapy (CBT): Identifying unhealthy, negative ideas and behaviours and replacing them with healthy, positive ones is the main goal of CBT, a frequent treatment for cyclothymia. Find out what symptoms you are triggered by with CBT. You also pick up helpful coping mechanisms for stressful circumstances.
  • Social and Interpersonal Rhythm Treatment (IPSRT): The goal of IPSRT is to stabilise everyday rhythms, including sleeping, waking up, and mealtimes. A regular schedule enables better mood regulation. A daily schedule for eating, sleeping, and exercising may be helpful for people with mood disorders.
  • Other Treatments: There is some indication of success with other therapies that have been examined. Ask your doctor if you would benefit from any additional options.

Treatment of Dysthymia

Medication and conversation therapy are the two basic therapies for persistent depressive illness. 

• Medications: The antidepressants most frequently prescribed for treating persistent depressive illness are:
  • Inhibitors of selective serotonin reuptake (SSRIs).
  • Tricyclic mood stabilisers (TCAs).
  • Norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).

Inform your physician or pharmacist of any potential adverse effects.

• Therapy: Depending on the person, psychotherapy may be the initial treatment suggested for children and adolescents with chronic depressive disorder. Antidepressants may also be required on occasion. Your doctor's recommended course of therapy will depend on things like:
  • The severity of your symptoms.
  • Your desire to deal with situational or emotional problems that are harming your life.
  • What you personally prefer.
  • Prior therapeutic techniques.
  • Your capacity to withstand medication.
  • Other emotional issues that could exist for you.

When it comes to Dysthymia, it is wise to see a doctor if the symptoms persist for more than two weeks. As discussed earlier, if your symptoms include depression and a negative attitude for over two weeks, you might be suffering from this condition. It is advisable to see the doctor within this time.

In the case of Cyclothymia, the window is much longer. Here, people suffer from mild depression and hypomania for about two years. It can slowly turn into bipolar disorder if left untreated. Thus, it is advisable to see a doctor if you feel rapid swings in your mood or any other symptoms of Cyclothymia.

Unfortunately, medical researchers are yet to come up with ways and means to prevent Dysthymia and Cyclothymia. However, the following tips will help you manage these conditions and lead a healthy life even while suffering from these.

• Consider Physical Activities: Getting more exercise and physical activities can boost serotonin and tryptophan  compounds in your brain, which support mood enhancement. Moderate and regular exercising can be great for lifting your mood, avoiding depression and reducing mood swings. As a result, you can easily manage these mental conditions.
• Get Socially Active: People who suffer from these mental health issues usually avoid social engagements and gatherings as they are afraid of stressful situations and judgements. However, getting more socially active can be beneficial if you are trying to manage these conditions. Connecting with others and learning about them can distract your mind from the usual negative and depressive thoughts.
• Have a Balanced Diet: A balanced diet helps to reduce inflammation and boost your mood. The SMILES trial recently found that the Mediterranean diet plan can be useful for remission from depressive disorders. Following a proper diet will keep your body healthy, which slowly starts reflecting on your mental health as well. Avoid drinking alcohol or taking illegal substances while recovering from this issue.
• Consider Therapy: Various short and long-term therapies can contribute to managing both Dysthymia and Cyclothymia. Psychotherapies and talk therapies like Cognitive behavioural therapy, Problem-solving therapy, Couples, family or group therapy, etc., contribute to managing such issues. You can consider this option if the symptoms start getting harsh.
• Pay Attention to the Triggers: There is often a specific pattern of behaviour and warning signs, especially in Cyclothymia. You need to identify the pattern and understand the incidents, things or phenomena that might trigger your mental health to these issues. Moreover, you can maintain a journal to record your mood swings, triggers, warning patterns and major life events to assist your therapist.
• Take Medicines Regularly: In most cases, Dysthymia and Cyclothymia can relapse with severe symptoms if you fail to take the medicines regularly per the therapist’s directions. Set alarms if you tend to forget the intervals of medication. If you plan to take any new OTC medicine, always consult a doctor.
• Get Proper Sleep: It is always helpful to get plenty of sound sleep to improve mental health. Maintain a healthy sleep routine at the right time. Doing physical activities can be a good way to get sleep at night. Otherwise, you can ask your therapist for mild sleeping pills if you have insomnia. 

To conclude, this is all one needs to know about dysthymia vs cyclothymia. Mental health is still an issue that goes unnoticed by several individuals. Ignoring the symptoms of degrading mental health causes serious problems later. So, if you notice anything, seek professional help instead of shying away.