What type of episodes are associated with Cyclothymia?

Cyclothymia is characterized by periods of hypomanic symptoms and periods of mild depressive symptoms that persist for at least two years in adults (or one year in children and adolescents). This disorder does not meet the full criteria for hypomanic episodes or major depressive episodes, but it entails fluctuations in mood that can affect a person's functioning.

The two-year duration requirement for cyclothymia underlines the chronic nature of the condition, making the presence of both mild depressive and hypomanic symptoms essential to its diagnosis. It is important to note that while this condition involves mood instability, the episodes are not as severe as those found in other mood disorders, such as bipolar disorder.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately describe cyclothymia. Manic episodes alone would not capture the depressive aspect of the disorder; fluctuating depressive and manic episodes imply more severe mood disturbance than is typical of cyclothymia; and chronic severe depression does not reflect the hypomanic episodes that are integral to cyclothymia. Therefore, the correct choice highlights both the mild depressive and hypomanic episodes within the defined timeframe, which is the essence of the cyclothymia diagnosis.