Cyclothymic/Hyperthymic Temperament

I found this description at www.ptypes.com/temperament_types.html:

Cyclothymic temperament type

The basic trait of the Cyclothymic temperament type is a pattern of alternation between hypomanic or irritable, and depressive moods, cognitions, and behaviors. The Cyclothymic temperament type:

* has a decreased need for sleep alternating with hypersomnia;
* has shaky self-esteem: naive grandiose overconfidence alternating with lack of self-confidence;
* has periods of sharpened and creative thinking alternating with periods of mental confusion and apathy;
* displays marked unevenness in the quantity and quality of productivity, often associated with unusual working hours;
* engages in uninhibited people-seeking (that may lead to hyper-sexuality) alternating with introverted self-absorption;
* becomes excessively involved in pleasurable activities with lack of concern for the high potential of painful consequences alternating with restriction of involvement in pleasurable activities and guilt over past activities;
* alternates between over-optimism or exaggeration of past achievement and a pessimistic attitude toward the future, or brooding about past events;
* is more talkative than usual, with inappropriate laughing, joking, and punning: and, then, less talkative, with tearfulness or crying;
* frequently shifts line of work, study, interest, or future plans;
* engages in occasional financial extravagance;
* makes frequent changes in residence or geographical location;
* has a tendency toward promiscuity, with repeated conjugal or romantic failure;
* may use alcohol or drugs to control moods or to augment excitement.

This is a list of patterns found in Hyperthymic Temperament. I know Stuart also posted the list for Cyclothymic.

Cheerful and exuberant
Articulate and jocular
Overoptimistic and carefree
Overconfident, boastful, ang grandiose
Extroverted and people seeking
High energy level, full of plans and improvident activities
Versatile with broad interests
Overinvolved and meddlesome
Uninhibited and stimulus seeking
Habitual short sleep (less than 6 hours/night)

I can see how this could be confused with ADHD. ( oh, I'm a licensed clinical psychologist, btw). The difference is that this type of disorder is considered to be lifelong and less amenable to treatment - it's part of your personality. ADHD is a neurological disorder affecting the brain and your functioning. Meds for ADHD could help in both cases - honestly, I would consider a trial - 1-3 months - on ADHD meds to see if it has an impact. See a good psychiatrist who specializes in ADHD and related disorders.

I am appalled by a few of the responses you have received for your question! Sorry you have to read that kind of stuff when you're seeking a serious answer! I don't know for sure if this is possibly the same diagnosis that my son had first been diagnosed with before he was later diagnosed with ADHD instead, I thought his diagnosis had been spelled "hypothalmic temperment". IF this is the same as you are talking about, I do know that it does have very similar symptoms to ADHD, in fact, I was told that many are misdiagnosed with ADHD when this is actually what they have. My son's psyciatrist had described it as (contrary to another's good response) a lack of control over impulsiveness and focus, leaving my boy struggling to concentrate and with a short attention span. (As you can see, that would make it hard to distinguish from ADHD). He also said though, that this was easier for the person to gain control of and would NOT need to be on meds lifelong because he/she would be able to learn and train their brain to focus easier over time and decrease impulsivity. In the end, my son was on Trileptol for this for over a year (minus the summer off of school), and eventually was put on ADHD medication with much greater success. Nobody wants to turn to drugs but it was not fair to my son to let him struggle so much and lose confidence and determination because he was unable to concentrate to learn. (Also, on a side note, I'm not sure why you included the note about your husband not being a cheater, I don't know how there's a connection?) Anyways, I hope you both find a solution to what's making it difficult for your husband to control some of his behavior, whether it's diet changes, activity outlets, therapy, or medication! You both sound like you're determined to work on it! Good luck!
Oh, I also would note that the spelling would be of importance as it can refer to either the THALAMUS or the THYROID, which would make a difference of course ; )

Hi--
I have a totally random question that may or may not make sense to you. Almost all body imbalances originate in the gut. That is why putting people with ADHD on a special diet changes their behavior. I am practically an expert in allergies (both my children and my husband have all kinds of allergies/sensitivities so I've studied it extensively)-- it is very possible that what your husband is eating is causing his behavior. It is also possible that he has a hormonal imbalance that is causing the behaviors. A psychiatrist will try to put labels on, but typically won't look at a cause like this. I could go really in depth with this, but I'll keep it simple and let me know if you want more information. I do have a doctor I would recommend who could tell you exactly what the imbalance is and how to treat it if you're interested (I believe this doc saved my older son's life when his allergies were making him incredibly ill as an infant)--and another doc who does NET (neural-emotional technique) that could be very helpful. They are both in Denver. If you're interested in this let me know and I'll share with you what I know.
J.

jeez, me and pretty much everyone i know could match up with the symptoms denise listed....hhmmmmmmmm, is it possible he's just a jerk?

Hi Mc. I'm a 47yo man and I live in Boulder, too. I was diagnosed with hyperthymia about 3 years ago. I had full blown symptoms including addiction, severe insomnia and hypersexuality. My lifestyle was killing me and almost destroyed my marriage.

Thanks to a gifted psychiatrist, I am now on meds that have radically improved my life. I still struggle but my life has become much more balanced, healthy and stable. I had given up hope that I would ever be "normal" and I am thrilled to have peace in my life for the first time in many years.

Good luck to you and your husband. If he works with the right doc, he can probably find a treatment that works for him someday.

I have to agree with Jodi, antidepressants are not the answer. They are a crappy bandaid that will eventually leave him in worse shape that when he started. All illness/malfunction of the body has a root in:

nutritional deficiences,
poisoning from industrial chemicals and heavy metals,
dehydration,
and then....bacteria/ fungal /parasites.

The first three on the list open the door for the opportunists, the living organisms that will come in and take over when a living being is "stressed" and their defenses are low and immune system is weak. The central nervous system and your thyroid are VERY VERYsensitive to toxins, poisons, and infections. When they are aggitated and stressed, all kinds of triggers are set off in the body to 'deal' with the problem at hand.

Pycho babble Proffessionals have been trained to dispense pills. It is a quick 'fix" that usually has the patient back in a month saying he has new symptoms or worse problems- and then the medication is increased or a new medication is added. Before you know it, you're on 10 pills, which have SO confused and screwed up your nervous system that you can't get off without terrible withdrawals- heck they may as well put you on heroine. It is a clever, clever way for the big government to control the masses. And have they not convinced the MASSES to be on drugs? Even half of the small children in America? Doesn't that seem odd to you , that all of a sudden we have a generation who are told they 'cannot function' without mass drugging and inoculations? Just how did half the population of the united states function 50 years ago without all these drugs? And after years of being drugged, would you say these drugged people are cured?NO. They keep them drugged for life. The drugged kids are the drugged adults of the future. Are we getting healthier as a nation? NO. We are getting so chronically ill, that people don't know what it feels like to be well. And we blindly follow the piper. Can you say,ORWELLIAN?

I bet if you went to a hollistic doctor or nutritionalist, they would look at all the issues I listed at the top of the message.

Multi vitamins and enriched foods are a the biggest farces ever. They are LOADED with the very minerals that, in excess, will start disease processes. Vit D, Calcium, Iron, and Folic acid are great in thier natural state, but in excess , will all start disease. Meanwhile, the very things you need most are silently left out or a token tivial amount is thrown in. I'm talking about iodine, b vitamins, magnesium, and a host of others.

Get him on MG-Magnesium malate or citrate. It is needed for the nervous system. It is a chemical gate blocker so that calcium can't rush in and activate the nerve cells all the time. Magnesium deficiency (and toxins) activates adrenaline which aggitates the CNS. It will cause hyperexcitability moods, aggitation , ADHD symptoms , depression , bipolar, and a host of others. Don't take a calcium supplement with your MG. (which can further deplete MG) Just take the MG. We get plenty of CA in our foods, Plenty.

Vit B complex liquid drops support the nerves as well. Put under the tounge for the best absorption.

8 ounces of water for every 20-25 pounds of weight are NEEDED by the body. A hint of dehydration will shut down the water path to the colon, skin, nerves (which run on hydroelectricity) and reroutes the water to the brain, the vital organ that must maintain 85% water balance at all times. Also a drier colon means toxins are sitting in the colon longer, getting reabsorbed, rather than being flushed- toxins that aggitate the CNS.. See how it all inter- relates?

The thyroid is VERY sensitive to the industrial chemicals in our world, and if that isnt enough, people go out and get vaccines that are absolutely loaded with mercury, bacteria, CNS irritants ,viral strains and even antibodies that make people infertile. Many many people actually have thyroid malfunction, and it wont even register on the blood tests, the tests are not sensitive enough. Lookup hypERthyroid and hypOthyroid (on several different sites as some sites leave symptoms out) and see if any of those symptoms correlate with his. Iodine is needed to support the thyroid, but what is also needed is to stop poisoning the gland. Put a filter on your tap so that the chlorine in your water gets taken out. Dont eat store bought baked products or drink mt dew, which have bromine(a rat poison) in them. Taking iodine will saturate the thyroid so that bromine and chlorine cannot affect it. Take iodine with a hollistic doctor's advice. Or just eat more seafood and kelp.

NCD zeolite and alpha lipoic acid will both flush out heavy metals. (most people don't know that IRON is a heavy metal- and here they are taking huge doses of it.) We need many metals in very minute trace amounts- but any more than that, they act as a weight on the CNS. Magnesium is also a metal chelator.

Gail

Wow McK4,

That is interesting. Do any of the symptoms below fit? Keep in mind though that many of us can look at the list and think, "hey! that's me." SMILE. Seriously though, I would suggest husband seeing a therapist to address the possible depression and issues associated here. S. A. K., MFT