Posted by Dinah on July 16, 2003, at 16:06:44
In reply to Possible cyclothymia, posted by ernie296 on July 16, 2003, at 13:38:39
Cyclothymia is my official diagnosis, but I think it's mainly for insurance purposes. Since I have in my life qualified for major depressive disorder, recurrant, moderate, I think I'm excluded from having cyclothymia. I've also had hypomanic periods, mostly precipitated by antidepressants, but occasionally brought on by sleep deprivation.
I understand about the "enthusiasms" as I call them. They've been part of my life for as long as I can remember, and my mother had "enthusiasms" as well. So I might do something non-stop and intensely for a few weeks then drop it for years. My mother and I both have half finished projects everywhere, and it can get expensive. Fortunately the enthusiasms recycle, so I can eventually use whatever I buy again.
I don't know if that's a "normal" thing or not. Certainly my husband and my father don't think so.
A complete course of my mood cycle lasts around 8-10 weeks under normal circumstances, less if I'm under extreme stress, longer if I'm under less than normal stress. Seldom if ever longer than 12 weeks. Because it's longer than 4 weeks, I'm pretty sure it's not hormonal. In the golden days of yore, the excited period of my mood cycle manifested itself as enthusiasms, now more often it's nasy agitation.
I handle it with a smidge of depakote, some klonopin, and a lot of therapy. Just getting to know myself and my mood cycles helps a lot. I can be a lot more detached and philosophical about any particular mood knowing that this too shall pass.
I suspect that like Penny, mood disorder NOS would fit me better than cyclothymia. Although I'm not a huge fan of the NOS. Ever try to find an NOS support group? :)
In the mean time, if spending is an issue for you (as it was for me) take the best advice I can give you and snip those credit cards. Disaster is just a few spending sprees away.
poster:Dinah
thread:242543
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20030711/msgs/242621.html