cyclothymic disorder

A chronic fluctuating mood disturbance that has lasted more than two years (one year in children or adolescents) and includes numerous depressive symptoms and hypomanic episodes. The condition is similar to bipolar disorder except that the symptoms are not as severe (that is, no major depressive, manic, or mixed episodes). The symptoms are not due to physiological or medical problems but cause clinically significant distress or impaired social functioning. This disorder was formerly called cyclothymia.