Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Cyclothymia Video Kati Morton

Today I talk about Cyclothymia! I know that many of you have asked about it, so here it is! Cyclothymia is part of the bipolar spectrum of disorders. It is diagnosed when someone has had numerous periods where they experience hypomanic symptoms and MDD symptoms without actually meeting the criteria for either. So they sort of waver in between a slight hypomania and a very low grade depression. This must occur for at least 2 years (1 in children and adolescents) and they must not be symptom free for more than 2 months.
This can be very uncomfortable and frustrating to manage, and many go undiagnosed for years! So if we have cyclothymia, what do we do?
Treatment Options:

1. Medication. I know that many of you aren't huge fans of medication, but trust me, it can sometimes change your life. So if you think you may want to give it a try, please reach out to your psychiatrist in order to make sure you are getting the proper medication for your issue. They usually recommend anti-psychotic medications as well as mood stabilizers.

2. Therapy: CBT can really help us to identify what triggers our symptoms and also help us to learn effective coping strategies to better deal with those triggers. Also, IPSRT (Interpersonal & Social Rhythm Therapy) helps us get into a more consistent schedule. For example, it helps us get into a better sleep and wake schedule, eating more regularly, etc. By being on a more regular schedule, our symptoms can be much easier to manage.

KATI MORTON
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My advice:
3. Keep a journal and get regular exercise. Adopt a dog.

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