To meet the DSM-V criteria for cyclothymic disorder, how long must symptoms persist?

To meet the DSM-V criteria for cyclothymic disorder, symptoms must persist for at least two years in adults (or one year in children and adolescents). This prolonged duration is essential in distinguishing cyclothymic disorder from other mood disorders, as it is characterized by numerous periods of depressive symptoms and hypomanic symptoms that are not severe enough to meet the criteria for a major depressive episode or hypomanic episode.

This two-year timeframe helps ensure that the diagnosis reflects a chronic pattern of mood instability rather than short-term mood fluctuations, which could be indicative of other conditions. The requirement underscores the need for a consistent and ongoing pattern of symptoms to properly identify cyclothymic disorder as distinct from other mood disorders, such as bipolar disorder, which are characterized by more severe mood alterations.