Hi starryprince, I have never got a formal diagnose of bipolar/cyclothymia either. My problem is that when I become happy (if I go to a party or something else without drinking alcohol) my mood becomes happier and happier (but never manic) the next days. I will have problems with sleep. If I become sad, I will become more and more sad ... I will have a lot of repeating thoughts (feelings) going around in my head in both states. It is burdensome!

I'm considered by the professionals to be chronic depressed, without any explanation ("because diagnosing is difficult").

I felt that my good and caring therapist could not help me with the problems related to these "ups and downs", so I made my own plan (when I went to therapy earlier). I am on an SSRI. That is helpful to some degree, but doesn't cure the swings. It has some side effects, but since it helps too, I prefer the side effects rather than the "naked symptoms". (I use meds for physical illnesses as well and have found out that to combine them with Tegretol or other meds of that type may not be good for me, so I have never asked for it).

I bought "The Cyclothymia Workbook: Learn How to Manage Your Mood Swings and Lead a Balanced Life" by Prentiss Prince.

Extra forms may be found here:
The Cyclothymia Workbook

By reading it I found that I did not qualify for that exact diagnose (one is not to have had any form of deep depression on that diagnose. Just one deep depression and that diagnose is out of question). Still it helped me to read that book. I give it a high recommendation to everybody who has some sort of moodswings that the professionals will not diagnose! It comes with forms to fill in and it puts a high value of living a stable life. One has to work regularly on the book to be helped in some way or other. The daily registration on "ups/downs" with some comments about the situation might be of help to recognize a personal pattern and then to plan how to react to prevent future episodes. One has to learn to recognize "red flags" (triggers). The more talented one becomes in recognizing triggers, the more control over the symptoms one gets.

I try to live a regularly life and eat regular meals. If I know that I am going out at an evening (which will normally give me an "up-time"), I make a written plan and place it on the table where I can easily see it when I come home. The plan holds exact messages on how I have to behave step by step to calm down.

I have noticed an amount of possible triggers (red flags for situations or inner feelings). Step by step I have made plans for each of them on how to prevent. It works when I remember to use those plans. ("What problem is this and how have I decided to prevent or stop it")? I have written down all the solutions in a book and read through it from time to time so I don't forget.

A lot of work, but the reward is better control and not being a helpless victim of this "disorder" whatever it's name may be.

All in all this seems to be a lifelong disorder. So to be able to find a way to not be completely dominated by it, is a big release.

I wish you good luck!
Hope you find your own personal ways to attack your symptoms!

I'm still at a sort of NOS. Excuse me if I'm crossing a line, but trauma can go a long way in mood shifts. PTSD alone can cause drastic mood swings, both up and down.

To be honest, as much as even I hate it, don't get too hung up on the diagnoses. Focus more on the treatment. It's the only way I'm getting through my list of diagnoses.

I agree with that! To fulfill a diagnose, if it as an example says; 4 out of 6 symptoms in the DSM system and one has 3 symptoms only, one will not get the diagnose. But these 3 symptoms are there and need treatment as well. In that case we are all in the same boat. Whatever diagnose we have got, it is our personal symptoms that need treatment! We are all humans that need to be treated with respect and dignity regardless of what diagnoses we have or have not!

By the way, almost all diagnoses involve not medication only, but also an understanding of that we must work to try to stay as well as possible with our personal burdens (regular meals, vitamins, physical activity, try to create a regular sleep pattern if we manage to do so, meditation or relaxation exercises).

With regard to the last, it is not meant as a moral "pointing finger", but more like: "There is hope! May be there will come days when you are not able to do your exercises or make healthy meals, but such times will pass!" The best after such a period is to forgive oneself and try to take environmental control as soon as one can. There is always some kind of hope!