Could I have Cyclothymia?

Hi

I've always been considered a person who has had mood swings. However the mood swings have become bad the past two years or so to a point where it's interfering with my job and life. I go through episodes where I become sad, problems concentrating, depressed, fatigue or low energy, feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, or guilt, unmotivated, crying, not wanting to be around people, racing thoughts, feeling rubbish about the future, can't be bothered and I literally want to stay in bed and do nothing. Sometimes these depressed moods last a few days. Other times is lasts a few hours.

So i do also have moods where I feel good and happy, I'm hyperactive, I have all these ideas about what I want to do with the future, increase in talking, increase optimism, increase in sex drive, extremely high self-esteem and have more energy that I normally do. I'm also very irritable on times and can become angry over the smallest thing. I decide I want to do things and then I completely change my mind. I was originally diagnosed with anxiety a few years ago as I was worrying a lot. I also have normal days where I feel normal and my mood is consistent for a few days but then the depressed mood seems to come back again with the odd happy mood in between.

My mood can also change throughout the day as well for example I can wake up depressed, by lunch time I'm normalish and my evening I can be hyperactive. I was able to manage my moods however about three months ago they seemed to of got worse. I felt more depressed than usual but the depression would only last a few days or even a few hours. My thoughts have been racing more than often and It got to the point where I walked out of my job due to not being able to cope.

I've been to the doctor about two months ago and broke down crying and was put on anti depressants which are not stopping me from feeling low and depressed. On these anti depressants my moods are exactly the same. Although I've been more hyperactive and the depressed moods are just as bad. I've contacted my doctor today and told me I may have Cyclothymia.

I was wondering if anyone has had any exprience of this? or thinks that this sounds like Cyclothymia?

Do you see a psychiatrist? Are you in therapy, by any chance?

Have you read up on the disorder? I hope someone who has cyclothymia comes and answers your post, as they would have daily experience with the disorder.

I read this in a reliable book I use for myself (I have bipolar disorder) The Bipolar Workbook--Tools for Controlling Your Mood Swings by Monica Ramirez Basco, PhD pg.28

I read it and thought it can be used as "purely information" that was out there. That was all it said on the topic. I want to make sure you know I am not diagnosing you nor that I even believe you have cyclothymia, because only a psychiatrist can determine this. But it can help, to want to look into it further. It certainly is most helpful when others with the disorder share their own experiences, in the meantime, reading literature on the topic is good.

Cyclothymia is a mild form of bipolar disorder and is also lifelong. Ups that look like hypomania and downs that are fairly mild alternate throughout a person's life. What looks like cyclothymia could also be the beginnings of the development of bipolar disorder.

I used to be diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder, then it changed to clinical depression when it wouldn't go away. Eventually 7 years later it is now Bipolar Disorder I. I just wanted to share my own personal story of my different diagnoses. I've seen the same psychiatrist for almost 11 years now.

Looking back, I didn't just get bipolar at 38 years, no, instead I had it since I was 18 years old and it fluctuated between bad to worse to what seemed like it was in remission, then it reappeared and it's terrible now.