Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsEuthymic MoodRecognizing EuthymiaMood ChangesManaging Bipolar Disorder
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Euthymic Mood
Recognizing Euthymia
Mood Changes
Managing Bipolar Disorder
Euthymicmood can be defined as a state of well-being and tranquility.It is a term that is generally used when talking aboutbipolar disorder, previously known as manic-depressive illness.
Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition where people shift between episodes of major depression and mania or hypomania.Euthymia describes the phases between, without either of these extremes.
This article discusses the meaning of “euthymic mood” and how it relates to bipolar disorder. It also goes over some management strategies for people with bipolar disorder.
Verywell / Tara Anand
What Does Euthymic Mean?Euthymic is a mood or feeling of being optimistic and in control, where a person is doing well, tranquil, functioning. It is often associated with the phases of bipolar disorder between manic and depressive episodes.
What Does Euthymic Mean?
Euthymic is a mood or feeling of being optimistic and in control, where a person is doing well, tranquil, functioning. It is often associated with the phases of bipolar disorder between manic and depressive episodes.
Euthymic Mood in Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder involves both extremes of emotional highs and lows that reach levels ofdepressionandmania.
A euthymic mood is that time between major depressive, manic, or hypomanic episodes. It does not necessarily mean that there are no symptoms of depression or mania at all, but rather, that if symptoms are present, they are minor and below the threshold of being considered a diagnosable mood.
How long the euthymic state lasts depends on the person, the severity of their disorder, and how well they respond to treatment. These phases may be short, or they could last years. The average length is 18 months.
Mania vs. HypomaniaMania and hypomania both involve high energy, activity, and a boosted mood, but mania is more extreme.In addition, mania tends to last longer.
Mania vs. Hypomania
Mania and hypomania both involve high energy, activity, and a boosted mood, but mania is more extreme.In addition, mania tends to last longer.
What Are the Differences Between Hypomania and Mania?
What It Is
Euthymic mood is the phase between bipolar episodes.Mood is a subjective emotional state. Affect describes how a person’s mood is shown through nonverbal behavior.
Mood vs. AffectMood is what a person feels, and affect is how that mood is shown in nonverbal communication.
Mood vs. Affect
Mood is what a person feels, and affect is how that mood is shown in nonverbal communication.
What It Isn’t
Euthymia does not mean a person is cured. A common misconception is that a euthymic mood among people with bipolar disorder means they no longer have the condition. This is not true.
Although there are treatments for bipolar disorder, and euthymic phases can last years, bipolar is a lifelong condition that needs to be monitored for possible bipolar episodes.
Recognizing Periods of Euthymia
Psychologists,psychiatrists, and other medical professionals who treat bipolar disorders are great resources for determining phases of euthymia. It can also be helpful for people with bipolar disorder to keep a journal of thoughts, feelings, and symptoms to reflect on regularly.
Does being in a euphoric mood mean you’re euthymic?Euphoria is an increased feeling of well-being and happiness.A slightly euphoric mood could be part of a euthymic phase between bipolar episodes. However, a higher level of euphoria, especially if it is not aligned with reality, would be part of a manic or hypomanic episode.
Does being in a euphoric mood mean you’re euthymic?
Euphoria is an increased feeling of well-being and happiness.A slightly euphoric mood could be part of a euthymic phase between bipolar episodes. However, a higher level of euphoria, especially if it is not aligned with reality, would be part of a manic or hypomanic episode.
Types of Mental Health Therapy
What You Can Do
Avoiding triggers is another important way to maintain euthymia. Stress is one of the biggest triggers.It can also be helpful to keep track of mood fluctuations and triggers during all phases of the illness to determine patterns that could aid in symptom management.
Additionally, coping strategies such as physical activity can help prevent bipolar episodes and make euthymia last longer.
Mood Changes From Co-Occurring Conditions
People with bipolar disorder often suffer from anxiety disorders as well, which may make it more difficult to treat bipolar disorder.
Alcohol and drug overuseare also common among people with bipolar disorder, and alcohol and drugs can trigger bipolar episodes.
Other conditions that may occur with bipolar disorder include attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD),eating disorders, and physical health problems.
Anxiety
Nearly half of people with bipolar disorder are diagnosed withanxiety disorderas well.
While anxiety is a feeling that anyone can experience, an anxiety disorder is a mental health condition that involves excessive and persistent fear, worry, or excessive apprehension, such as general anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and phobias.
These conditions may complicate treatment for bipolar disorder.
Anhedonia
Bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition, but it can be managed.
Treatment doesn’t stop if a patient is in a euthymic state. A person with bipolar disorder may still struggle with anxiety, apprehension, or intense fear of the next bipolar episode even when they are euthymic. This means that a euthymic mood cannot be the end goal for people with bipolar disorder, but that their overall well-being must be considered as well.
Many things can be done to help manage bipolar disorder in addition to medication, including:
Therapy can also help. Some of the therapy techniques commonly used for people with bipolar disorder include the following:
Management of Bipolar Disorder
Summary
Among people with bipolar disorder, euthymia is an episode of doing well between episodes of major depression, mania, or hypomania.The details of these phases depend on the person. They could be frequent or rare, and could be short or last years. Even during times of euthymic mood, it is important to keep up with bipolar disorder treatment plans.
What Is Rapid Cycling Bipolar Disorder?
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17 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychological Association.Euthymia.American Psychological Association.Bipolar disorder.Ossola P, Garrett N, Sharot T, Marchesi C.Belief updating in bipolar disorder predicts time of recurrence.eLife. 2020;9:e58891. doi:10.7554/eLife.58891American Psychological Association.Hypomania.Fava GA, Guidi J.The pursuit of euthymia.World Psychiatry. 2020;19(1):40-50. doi:10.1002/wps.20698Kaufmann C, Agalawatta N, Bell E, S Malhi G.Getting emotional about affect and mood.Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2020;54(8):850-852. doi:10.1177/0004867420943943National Institute of Mental Health.Bipolar disorder.American Psychological Association.Euphoria.Jawad I, Watson S, Haddad PM, Talbot PS, McAllister-Williams RH.Medication nonadherence in bipolar disorder: a narrative review.Ther Adv Psychopharmacol. 2018;8(12):349-363. doi:10.1177/2045125318804364Melo MCA, Garcia RF, de Araújo CFC, Rangel DM, de Bruin PFC, de Bruin VMS.Physical activity as prognostic factor for bipolar disorder: An 18-month prospective study.J Affect Disord. 2019;251:100-106. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2019.03.061Spoorthy MS, Chakrabarti S, Grover S.Comorbidity of bipolar and anxiety disorders: an overview of trends in research.World J Psychiatry. 2019;9(1):7-29. doi:10.5498/wjp.v9.i1.7Pavlova B, Perlis RH, Alda M, Uher R.Lifetime prevalence of anxiety disorders in people with bipolar disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Lancet Psychiat. 2015;2(8):710-717. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(15)00112-1American Psychological Association.Anxiety disorder.Whitton AE, Pizzagalli DA.Anhedonia in depression and bipolar disorder.Curr Top Behav Neurosci. 2022;58:111-127. doi:10.1007/7854_2022_323Fava GA, Bech P.The concept of euthymia.Psychother Psychosom. 2016;85(1):1-5. doi:10.1159/000441244Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Living well with bipolar disorder.Fava GA, Guidi J.The pursuit of euthymia.World Psychiat. 2020;19(1):40-50. doi:10.1002/wps.20698
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Psychological Association.Euthymia.American Psychological Association.Bipolar disorder.Ossola P, Garrett N, Sharot T, Marchesi C.Belief updating in bipolar disorder predicts time of recurrence.eLife. 2020;9:e58891. doi:10.7554/eLife.58891American Psychological Association.Hypomania.Fava GA, Guidi J.The pursuit of euthymia.World Psychiatry. 2020;19(1):40-50. doi:10.1002/wps.20698Kaufmann C, Agalawatta N, Bell E, S Malhi G.Getting emotional about affect and mood.Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2020;54(8):850-852. doi:10.1177/0004867420943943National Institute of Mental Health.Bipolar disorder.American Psychological Association.Euphoria.Jawad I, Watson S, Haddad PM, Talbot PS, McAllister-Williams RH.Medication nonadherence in bipolar disorder: a narrative review.Ther Adv Psychopharmacol. 2018;8(12):349-363. doi:10.1177/2045125318804364Melo MCA, Garcia RF, de Araújo CFC, Rangel DM, de Bruin PFC, de Bruin VMS.Physical activity as prognostic factor for bipolar disorder: An 18-month prospective study.J Affect Disord. 2019;251:100-106. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2019.03.061Spoorthy MS, Chakrabarti S, Grover S.Comorbidity of bipolar and anxiety disorders: an overview of trends in research.World J Psychiatry. 2019;9(1):7-29. doi:10.5498/wjp.v9.i1.7Pavlova B, Perlis RH, Alda M, Uher R.Lifetime prevalence of anxiety disorders in people with bipolar disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Lancet Psychiat. 2015;2(8):710-717. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(15)00112-1American Psychological Association.Anxiety disorder.Whitton AE, Pizzagalli DA.Anhedonia in depression and bipolar disorder.Curr Top Behav Neurosci. 2022;58:111-127. doi:10.1007/7854_2022_323Fava GA, Bech P.The concept of euthymia.Psychother Psychosom. 2016;85(1):1-5. doi:10.1159/000441244Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Living well with bipolar disorder.Fava GA, Guidi J.The pursuit of euthymia.World Psychiat. 2020;19(1):40-50. doi:10.1002/wps.20698
American Psychological Association.Euthymia.
American Psychological Association.Bipolar disorder.
Ossola P, Garrett N, Sharot T, Marchesi C.Belief updating in bipolar disorder predicts time of recurrence.eLife. 2020;9:e58891. doi:10.7554/eLife.58891
American Psychological Association.Hypomania.
Fava GA, Guidi J.The pursuit of euthymia.World Psychiatry. 2020;19(1):40-50. doi:10.1002/wps.20698
Kaufmann C, Agalawatta N, Bell E, S Malhi G.Getting emotional about affect and mood.Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2020;54(8):850-852. doi:10.1177/0004867420943943
National Institute of Mental Health.Bipolar disorder.
American Psychological Association.Euphoria.
Jawad I, Watson S, Haddad PM, Talbot PS, McAllister-Williams RH.Medication nonadherence in bipolar disorder: a narrative review.Ther Adv Psychopharmacol. 2018;8(12):349-363. doi:10.1177/2045125318804364
Melo MCA, Garcia RF, de Araújo CFC, Rangel DM, de Bruin PFC, de Bruin VMS.Physical activity as prognostic factor for bipolar disorder: An 18-month prospective study.J Affect Disord. 2019;251:100-106. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2019.03.061
Spoorthy MS, Chakrabarti S, Grover S.Comorbidity of bipolar and anxiety disorders: an overview of trends in research.World J Psychiatry. 2019;9(1):7-29. doi:10.5498/wjp.v9.i1.7
Pavlova B, Perlis RH, Alda M, Uher R.Lifetime prevalence of anxiety disorders in people with bipolar disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Lancet Psychiat. 2015;2(8):710-717. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(15)00112-1
American Psychological Association.Anxiety disorder.
Whitton AE, Pizzagalli DA.Anhedonia in depression and bipolar disorder.Curr Top Behav Neurosci. 2022;58:111-127. doi:10.1007/7854_2022_323
Fava GA, Bech P.The concept of euthymia.Psychother Psychosom. 2016;85(1):1-5. doi:10.1159/000441244
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Living well with bipolar disorder.
Fava GA, Guidi J.The pursuit of euthymia.World Psychiat. 2020;19(1):40-50. doi:10.1002/wps.20698
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