Which diagnosis would be considered if a person has hypomanic and depressive symptoms without major depressive episodes for at least two years?

The diagnosis of cyclothymic disorder is appropriate in this scenario because it specifically involves the presence of numerous periods of hypomanic symptoms and depressive symptoms that do not meet the criteria for a major depressive episode. For cyclothymic disorder to be diagnosed, these symptoms must persist for at least two years in adults (or one year in children and adolescents).

The key characteristic of cyclothymic disorder is that it is a mood disorder that involves chronic fluctuations in mood, encompassing both hypomanic and depressive episodes, but these fluctuations are not severe enough to meet the full diagnostic criteria for bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder. Hence, the duration and nature of the symptoms described align precisely with the criteria for cyclothymic disorder.

In contrast, bipolar II disorder requires that a person experiences at least one major depressive episode in addition to the hypomanic episodes, which is not the case here. Unipolar depressive disorder refers specifically to recurrent major depressive episodes without the presence of any manic or hypomanic symptoms. Mood disorder is a general category and does not specify the nature or duration of symptoms needed for cyclothymic disorder, making it less precise than the specific diagnosis required in this case.