A. The hypomanic symptoms and depressive symptoms have persisted for at least 2 years (at least a year in children and adolescents) without meeting the criteria for hypomanic episodes and major depressive episodes.

B. Criterion A symptoms have been present for at least half the time and the individual has not been without the symptoms for more than 2 months at a time.

C. Criteria for a major depressive, manic, or hypomanic episode have never been found.

D. Schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, delusional disorder, or other specified or unspecified schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders cannot be used to explain the symptoms in Criterion A.

E. The symptoms are not ascribed to the physiological effects of a substance or another medical condition.

F. The symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.