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Cyclothymia Support Society

Created on 2004-01-25 16:42:29 (#2002962), last updated 2009-12-14

317 comments received

113 Journal Entries, 0 Tags, 0 Memories, 0 Virtual Gifts, 0 Userpics

Basic Info
Name:Support, Friendship and Social Acceptance.
Membership:Open
Posting Access:All Members
About


Welcome to the support community for sufferers of the mood disorder,
cyclothymia.

Family members, friends and partners of cyclothymia sufferers are also
welcome to come and are encouraged to talk.

This journal is run by a fellow sufferer of the disorder and is intended to
allow people who have the disorder to come together and chat about
the condition, their lives and focus on supporting each other
during periods of depression and hypomania.

This is an open community, and mainly unmoderated, so please remember
to have respect for each other.

 

Information
Rules

Cyclothymia is a chronic bipolar disorder consisting of short periods of mild depression and short periods of hypomania (lasting a few days to a few weeks), separated by short periods of normal mood. Individuals with cyclothymia (thymia: from the Greek word for the mind) are never free of symptoms of either depression or hypomania for more than two months at a time. In 1980 the classification of cyclothymia was changed in the DSM-IV from Personality Disorder to Mood Disorder.


Though the above description portrays cyclothymia as a mild disorder, it is so only relative to the severity of Bipolar I and Bipolar II disorders. cyclothymia can completely disrupt the life of an individual and create personal chaos. In their continual oscillation of mood, they never know from one day to the next what to expect.





Incidence of Cyclothymia


Equally common in men and women, cyclothymia affects 0.4 to 1 percent of the population. Most commonly the disorder begins in the teens or early twenties. Eventually approx 30 percent of individuals with cyclothymia experience a full-blown manic episode or major depression, and their diagnosis is changed to Bipolar I or II.





Treatment of Cyclothymia


In some cases individuals may prefer no treatment or supportive psychotherapy alone. Couples or Family therapy is often sought to help with the problems in relationships brought on by the disorder.


In addition, lithium, a mood stabilizer used commonly in the treatment of Bipolar Disorder, has been proven to help a substantial number of people with Cyclothymia.





Causes


Genetic factors appear to be causative in cyclothymia as they do in the Bipolar Disorders. Many of those affected have a family history of major depression, bipolar disorder, suicide or alcohol/drug dependence.


(c) McMan





Websites of Interest


The Cyclothymia Collective

Yahoo Directory

McMan
There are only a few things to keep in mind when posting on this community.

1. Respect your fellow members.

2. Please put lengthy posts or images behind an lj-cut. This will ensure people don't have massive chunks of their friends lists taken by our community.

3. We are not doctors or psychiatrists here. We are either fellow sufferers or the people who stand beside those who suffer the condition. If you need urgent medical advice, please seek the appropriate avenue. (Either your doctor or psychiatrist)

4. All beliefs are welcome here! However, don't try to make others believe in what you do. For example; if someone else is taking medication, and you don't agree with it, please share your opinions but don't persist over the issue.

5. If you need support from other sufferers such as yourself, then feel free to post any time or night or day. As moderator, I will endevour to answer all posts as soon as I read them to ensure no-one get's forgotten or passed over.

6. There is nothing like a live chat to increase bonding and friendships. My aol chat ID is coolkatz000 ... see you around!

7. If you have any grievances with fellow members, please email me at Hannurdock@hotmail.com rather than attack them through comments. I will act as an mediator between both parties until the situation is resolved.





Diagnosis of Cyclothymia

According to DSM-IV a diagnosis of cyclothymia is based on the following:


1. Individual has had many periods of both hypomania and depression, for a period of at least 2 years.


2. Individual has experienced no periods of normal mood lasting longer than two months.


3. Individual has experienced no major depression, manic or mixed episode during the first two years of symptoms


4. Symptoms are not attributable to either Schizophrenia or Psychotic Disorder


5. Symptoms are not due to effects of medication, illicit drugs or medical condition.


6. Individual experiences significant distress or impairment in daily living.





Symptoms


Zig-zagging from periods of elation to gloom


Unable to maintain enthusiasm for new projects due to mood changes


Personal Relationship Problems due to influence of moods causing a constant "pulling close and pushing away" of emotions


Abrupt changes in personality from cheerful, confident and energetic to sad, blue or "mean"


Sleep difficulties are prominent, with affected persons sleeping little during hypomania, and "unable to get out of bed" during depression.


Self medication with alcohol or illegal drugs common.


In a word cyclothymia seems to sabotage a person's opportunity for a stable life.


(c) McMan






Connect

Interests (9):

bi polar, bipolar, cyclothymia, hypomania, mental health, mental illness, mood disorder, mood disorders, support
Administrators

Maintainers (1):

hannurdock
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Members (137):

0wls_do_cry, 2nd_alter_ego, _emewd_, _gasolinegirl_, _mayhemx, _ms_pacman, abl77, aiden_866, ally1988, amakhosi4life, anner007, antisocialiting, athenagrace, auntiem1969, b_monkey, barenakeddavie, baz_psb, bellasiel87, benedictcanyon, bensoup, benwalllker, bethy_lynn, bettyboo56, bipolaralice, blacks_empire, bluemonkey29, bondi_blue, bp_expedition, breaktherules10, captain_havoc, celticmaidenro, chasingami, cherbear75, cherryboomstick, coldmemory, corpslave, crachaelo, crimson_tidebex, crushedmidnight, cyclone_chels, daggeredheart, davidcyc, devilz_daughter, dnjscott, dragnfly18, dvouredbyghsts, elvenprincess79, evilshrubbery, ex_earthmonk411, falsefiction, fay2010, fierce_calm, figmaniac, follansbee, ghellie, glad_to_be_here, glendachauncy, gloriousburdens, godblezz, greenskunk, gwendogray, hanna_walklate, hannurdock, hermit27, imjstagrrl, indigo0fhonor, indostarr, jade74932002, jbethy, jodie1973, joyfuless56, judgmentknight, julianps, kayling, ladymissloki, laur_lj, leorising1959, lilali, lilmisspro, lilsinger_95, lnxnow, luvpumpkin, m0nkeyboy, me_is_so_uber, melloncollieclo, mentally_aware, mimeynaomi, mindhiccups, mmpfb, moderately_mad, moodybeeotch, morbid_pryncess, mr_sobriety, mrsmozart, mrsroyall, mud_faerie, naivecharm, needsomehelp, nicans, nitenurse1976, nix_e_b, no_end, obelix33, one_ex, outerspacenic, penguinpusher, psi, punkymunkygrrl, pvbliksuicide, r718, reluctor, rudy510, rumsfield22, sadballadman, sare, saynotobarbie, shefloats_____, sir_digby, sodisarranged, sofrigginsweet, sp321, spint002266, summerlovin3284, superhuman2, sweetmelmel, thec_of_nv, thekatinthehat, thepagesofnin, tinagapo, treblinka, upsydownsyme, valperaisian, weav2016, whatupdawg324, wizardofblahs, xmakeartnotwarx, yssie

Watched by (97):

0wls_do_cry, 2nd_alter_ego, _emewd_, _gasolinegirl_, _mayhemx, _ms_pacman, abl77, aiden_866, amakhosi4life, anner007, antisocialiting, au918, barenakeddavie, baz_psb, bellasiel87, bensoup, benwalllker, bettyboo56, bipolaralice, blacks_empire, bobbijean, bondi_blue, boobsmcchesty, bp_expedition, breaktherules10, cataura, chasingami, cherbear75, cherryboomstick, corpslave, crimson_tidebex, crushedmidnight, cyclone_chels, daggeredheart, davidcyc, devilz_daughter, drinkinginsmoke, elvenprincess79, evilshrubbery, fay2010, figmaniac, ghellie, glad_to_be_here, glendachauncy, godblezz, greenskunk, gwendogray, hannurdock, helmutzgirl, hermit27, imjstagrrl, indostarr, jade74932002, jbethy, judgmentknight, julianps, leorising1959, lilali, lilmisspro, lilsinger_95, luvpumpkin, mmpfb, moodybeeotch, morbid_pryncess, mr_sobriety, mrsmozart, mrsroyall, mud_faerie, naivecharm, needsomehelp, nicans, nitenurse1976, nix_e_b, no_end, obelix33, one_ex, outerspacenic, penguinpusher, psi, pvbliksuicide, r718, reluctor, rudy510, rumsfield22, sadballadman, sare, shefloats_____, sodisarranged, sp321, thec_of_nv, thekatinthehat, thepagesofnin, tinagapo, upsydownsyme, weav2016, whatupdawg324, wizardofblahs

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