What is Dysthymia?

There can be no doubt that major depression disorder is one of the most common psychiatric problems in existence in the world. However, while most are aware of what depression is and what the symptoms are, far too few know of Dysthymia, and the many problems and dangers that can come with it. Certainly, dysthymia is not as common as major depressive disorder, but it is still very dangerous, and thus it is incredibly important that we are aware of the warning signs and know what we are dealing with when talking about

In fact, it may be difficult to learn anything about dysthymia that does not separate itself from depression. However, while the two may seem to be similar, there are actually a variety of important differences between them. Essentially, we can think of the causes of the two disorders as being similar. However, the primary differences lie in how they come to affect the individual. Technically speaking, depression is defined as lasting a fairly short period (usually in terms of weeks) with fairly severe symptoms. Dysthymia, on the other hand, can be thought of as embodying the opposite of dysthymia. While the basic symptoms may be the same; the period of effect and the strength of the symptoms are different. Instead of stronger symptoms, though, dysthymia continues for a much longer period but with less powerful symptoms. However, even though it would seem that dysthymia is less damaging than major depression syndrome that is simply not the case. In fact, the prolonged length of the dysthymia symptoms are enough to make many of the effects worse, and many cases of dysthymia end in death or suicide. However, in order to better understand what dysthymia is, perhaps it is necessary to look at what really separates it from major depressive disorder.

In order for depression to be diagnosed as dysthymia, the symptoms must be present every day for a time period of about two years. However, these symptoms must also not be strong enough to qualify the individual for depression. The individual affected by dysthymia may often seem moody, he or she may not be able to sleep or eat properly (this includes both under-eating and overeating), there may be feelings of being lost or having no direction, and the individual may also come to be unhappy with his or her personal image.

Generally, a prior medical history is not thought to be a factor in dysthymia, nor is the condition reliant on chemically induced moods or periods of an attack (such as an anxiety or panic attack). While the exact causes of dysthymia are unknown, it is generally thought to be similar in nature to major depressive disorder, although the slower progression and lingering of the symptoms has not yet been conclusively explained.

However, dysthymia also occurs much less frequently than cases of major depressive disorder. Does this mean that the disorder itself is less prevalent? It may, however, perhaps another explanation can be found in the infrequency of patients actually reporting their problem. Unlike depression, dysthymia does not hit nearly so hard, and patients may be led to think they are simply being moody or grumpy for no apparent reason. For this reason, many do not seek the help that they need, and this is one of the reasons that suicide rates are so high for those who are suffering.

While the disorder itself may differ quite a bit from major depressive syndrome, many of the treatments remain the same. While various anti-depressant drugs can be used, generally other methods are sought out to see if the disorder can be corrected through therapy or a change in habits before drugs become a last resort. In a majority of cases, the symptoms are able to be controlled, and those with dysthymia are capable of living normal lives.

While we do not often think about dysthymia as a major medical disease, it is very dangerous, partially because of the lack of knowledge and exposure that many have. While it may not be nearly as common as major depressive disorder, perhaps by learning more about dysthymia, what it is, what the symptoms are, and how it can be treated, many lives can be saved. It is always worth taking the time to learn, and especially when there is a lot of good that can come from that learning.