Bipolar Disorder Bipolar III Disorder or Cyclothymia By Marcia Purse Marcia Purse is a mental health writer and bipolar disorder advocate who brings strong research skills and personal experiences to her writing. Learn about our editorial process Marcia Purse Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Daniel B. Block, MD on April 13, 2020 twitter linkedin Daniel B. Block, MD, is an award-winning, board-certified psychiatrist who operates a private practice in Pennsylvania. Learn about our Review Board Daniel B. Block, MD Updated on September 22, 2020 Print JAG IMAGES/Getty Images Table of Contents View All Overview Causes Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment Bipolar III disorder is the unofficial term for cyclothymia, a mild form of bipolar disorder. Overview Cyclothymia, sometimes called cyclothymic disorder, is a long-term condition where your moods cycle between hypomania and depression, but they are not incapacitating or suicidal. Hypomania is a "high" that can be mild to fairly severe but does not include delusions, hallucinations or other psychotic features. Cyclothymia is milder than bipolar I or bipolar II in that the depressive and hypomanic episodes are not as intense as those found in the other two disorders. In between the highs and lows, you may feel pretty normal. However, it's important to get help for cyclothymia since it can significantly impact your everyday functioning and affect your relationships at home and at work. Who Gets Cyclothymia/Bipolar III Disorder? Cyclothymia usually starts during the teen years or young adulthood and affects both males and females equally. It may be underdiagnosed because people who have it are sometimes erroneously diagnosed with other mental health conditions like depression or bipolar II disorder. Many people with cyclothymia do not seek treatment either because their symptoms are not as debilitating as those seen in bipolar disorder. Causes As with every other mental health disorder, no one knows what causes cyclothymia. Certain factors, including family history, environmental stressors, and brain chemistry seem to play a role in developing cyclothymia. Symptoms Cyclothymia has similar symptoms to the other bipolar disorders, but not quite as extreme. It is characterized by emotional highs and lows that can be but aren't always disruptive to daily functioning. These emotional highs and lows are called hypomanic and depressive episodes. Hypomanic Symptoms In cyclothymia, when you are on an emotional high, you are experiencing a hypomanic episode, which is not as extreme as mania. Hypomanic symptoms occur for at least four days and may include: Becoming distracted easilyBeing more talkative than normalDisplaying poor impulse control and/or judgment, which can lead to risky choicesExperiencing irritability or agitationFeeling extremely happy or euphoricFeeling restlessFidgeting, pacing, or becoming more physically activeHaving difficulty concentratingRequiring less sleep than normalThinking very highly of yourself Depressive Symptoms In cyclothymia, when you are in a low place, you are probably experiencing a depressive episode, which also tends to not be as extreme as those found in bipolar I and bipolar II. These symptoms may include: Being irritableCrying excessivelyExperiencing changes in eating habits and/or weightExperiencing little to no pleasure in the things you used to enjoyFeeling guilty, worthless, or hopelessFeeling tired or worn outHaving difficulty concentratingIsolating yourself from othersSleeping too much or too littleThinking about death or suicide If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. Diagnosis If you have symptoms of cyclothymia, you should see your doctor right away. Depending on your doctor's experience, they may refer you to a mental health professional for a diagnosis if no physical reasons for your symptoms can be found. Cyclothymia is diagnosed when these factors are present:Your stable moods, which are the times between mood episodes, last for less than two months.You have had both hypomanic and depressive episodes for at least two years (one year for children and teens), and these highs and lows account for at least half of the time.The symptoms you're having don't meet the diagnostic criteria for another illness, such as depression, bipolar I, or bipolar II disorder.These mood episodes are negatively impacting your life and day-to-day functioning.Your symptoms aren't a result of substance abuse or a physical illness. Treatment An effective treatment plan can take time and patience in order to figure out the best combination for you. Treatment may include psychotherapy and/or medications to help keep your symptoms from interfering with your life. There aren't any medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) specifically for cyclothymia, but your doctor may use medications approved for bipolar disorder, like mood stabilizers or antidepressants, to help control your symptoms. The 7 Best Online Bipolar Disorder Support Groups of 2021 Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Dealing with racing thoughts? Always feeling tired? Our guide offers strategies to help you or your loved one live better with bipolar disorder. Sign up for our newsletter and get it free. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Cleveland Clinic. Cyclothymia. Updated on June 18, 2018. Van meter AR, Youngstrom EA, Findling RL. Cyclothymic disorder: a critical review. Clin Psychol Rev. 2012;32(4):229-43. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2012.02.001 Perugi G, Hantouche E, Vannucchi G. Diagnosis and treatment of cyclothymia: the "primacy" of temperament. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2017;15(3):372–379. doi:10.2174/1570159X14666160616120157 Coryell W. Cyclothymic disorder. Merck Manual: Professional Version. Updated May 2018. Cleveland Clinic. Cyclothymia: management and treatment. Updated June 18, 2018. Additional Reading American Psychiatric Association. (2013).Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing. Tartakovsky M. (May 2016). Psych Central: Understanding & Coping with Cyclothymia. U.S. National Library of Medicine. (September 2014). Cyclothymic Disorder.