Cyclophrenia

/ˌsaɪ.kloʊˈfriː.ni.ə/ noun

Definition

A rare mental condition characterized by a cyclical or recurring pattern of emotional or psychological disturbances.

Etymology

From 'cyclo-' (circle/cycle) + 'phrenia' (mind), Greek-based medical terminology describing mind states that cycle or recur. Used in 20th-century psychiatry.

Kelly Says

Cyclophrenia highlights how ancient and modern psychiatry both noticed that some people's mental states follow patterns—ups and downs in regular cycles—which is why we now understand conditions like bipolar disorder in terms of cycles.

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