1. A Sad State of Affairs
Dysthymia, a mental condition characterized by a chronic low level of excitement and a stable sense of sadness and dissatisfaction, is typically found in individuals who have a history of depression. The dysthymic state can go on for years before a full-fledged depression begins. General feelings of hopelessness, melancholy, guilt, sleep trouble, remorse, low appetite and general sadness are associated with this disorder. People with dysthymia find it difficult to become excited by external events in their lives for very long. The base mood for the dysthymic person seems to be devoid of any real happiness but is not low enough to constitute clinical depression.
2. Equal Opportunity Chronic Melancholy
A reported 3 percent of the population has dysthymia disorder, and it can affect children as well as adults. Although the disorder can affect both sexes, in adulthood women seem to be two to three times more likely to develop dysthymia than men. Typically, individuals who live with dysthymic states also find themselves dropping into a major depressive episode at some point, with up to 75 percent of adults developing a major depressive disorder within 5 years.
There's no real way to detect dysthymia other than by self-reporting, so it's important to maintain self-awareness and a healthy dialogue with a doctor if you suspect a mood disturbance. In children, this mood may be appear as being more irritable than actually depressed.
3. A Lifetime of Moodiness
Dysthymia can continue in a person's life for many years. People with the condition typically do not seek treatment unless they experience a major depressive episode. This might be because they believe that the dysthymic condition is normal and therefore needs no real intervention. Some individuals report dysthymic symptoms beginning in childhood and reaching far into their adult lives with no change in symptoms. Once the condition is identified and treated, drastic mood improvements typically result.
4. Help Comes in Two Forms
The symptoms of dysthymia are best treated with counseling and/or medication. Psychotherapy and antidepressants (especially newer versions of SSRI medications) are extremely helpful to the dysthymic sufferer. Cognitive behavioral therapy is helpful in getting the individual to recognize the thoughts that fuel the melancholy or sad mood. It is also helpful to analyze the environment (both immediate and cultural) that could be contributing to a feeling of hopelessness and chronic depression. Many individuals find that their issues may not in fact be their issues but something inherited from general society or a dysfunctional family system.
5. The Difference Between Depression and Dysthymia
The similarities between depression and dysthymia are undeniable. However, dysthymia typically has a longer course than depression. Dysthymic symptoms can last for years, while depression usually will last anywhere from one month to a year. Dysthymia usually does not progress to the point of suicidal thoughts. Dysthymia can best be likened to a low-grade depression that is not unbearable but that prevents happiness from being prominent in an individual's life. Depression typically is unbearable and can be a serious risk to the sufferer's health and standard of living.
