Dysthymia is a mood disorder characterized by chronic (long term) depression.
For Dysthymia to be diagnosed, the chronic depression has to have lasted on the majority of days for at least two years.
Dysthymia is not considered to be as severe as Major Depression, but it can, nevertheless, be a debilitating illness in that someone with a constant low mood will in all likelehood find it hard to work and interact effectively with others on a day to day basis.
Anxiety disorders may also be present along with Dysthymia and it has been found that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children may also sometimes be related to this illness.
Research has so far shown that Dysthymia begins gradually,often without the sufferer realising. Many sufferers of this form of depression may be unable to establish when it actually started.
The symptoms of Dysthymia include:
- Sadness, a feeing of hopelessness and despair.
- Fatigue, lislessness.
- Changes in sleep patterns (sleeping too much or too little).
- Substantial changes in appetite (with subsequent weight loss or weight gain).
- Many sufferers will also tell you they have little faith in the future. They are not likely to be suicidal (unless their Dysthymia turns into Major Depression - which can often occur, see below), rather they will see little hope in anything they try to achieve, but they will often keep on plodding away anyhow.
- The pessimistic attitude of many sufferers of Dysthymia will, of course, often result in the lack of achievement they fully expect, thus creating a continuous circle of despair.
However, it is not the attitude whch causes the despair originally; it is Dysthymia itself.
Diagnosis of Dysthymia can only be made via a physical health evaluation by a health professional. This is because the symptoms of Dysthymia, like other mental illnesses, can be caused by physcal conditions (thyroid malfunction,anaemia, etc) which must be ruled out first.
Psychiatrists have dscovered a close relationship between Dysthymia and Major Depression. They have found that many patients with dysthymia eventually develop major depression, It is also likely that some patients with major depression may eventually develop dysthymia.
An episode of major depression can occur during Dysthymia, resulting in what is referred to as Double Depression.
Research so far has not determined all the likely causes of Dysthymia. Here are some they are considering:
- Changes in brain structures and chemistry which cause alterations in mood may be one cause and antedepressants (particularly those which raise serotnim levels) are often diagnosed in order to alleviate these problems.
- However, it is usually agreed that there could be many other causes for Dysthymia, including gender (women appear twice as likely as men to develop Dysthymia), a family history of depression and living a constantly stressfull life,
Researchers claim that there is only about a 10 percent chance that the symptoms of Dysthymia will go away without treatment, so, once diagnosis of Dysthymia is made, some form of treatment is always recommended.
Treatment for Dysthymia can include:
- Psychotherapy. Most often Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), which will usually consist of a course of ‘lessons’ involving the patient and analyst working together to try to change the negative patterns of thought or behavior that are considered to be associated with Dysthymia.
- Medications, in the form of antidepressants (and sometimes anti-anxiety medication also) will often be given alongside CBT, to alleviate any chemical imbalances wih could be causing the Dysthymia.
- Herbal and dietary supplements are often used by long-term sufferers of Dysthymia and some find these effective. A change of diet and even more exercise or exposure to sunlight (SAD is also considered by sme to be a factor in Dysthymia) can also be effective for some sufferers.
However, patients taking prescribed medication should always beware of taking any herbal remedies alongside their medication as this can cause serious drug interactions. Some antidepressants can also react very badly with certain forms of food and drink.
Always ask your prescribing physician about the medication you are being given and tell him or her of any other medication or supplements/remedies you are taking.
Like all forms of depressive illness, there are still further studies to be made on Dysthymia. For more detailed information you can check out:
eMedicine - Dysthymic Disorder
Your Total Health - Dysthymia
Dysthymia - Family Doctor.org
[...] could develop into full blown depression, or manifest itself as another aspect of Dysthymia, but sometimes it is not too late to ‘nip it in the bud’, before it takes on more [...]
I have a mood disorder and yes! I feel fatigued never rested and irratiable even on my meds. I dont think my meds help 100% but they do help some. I was somewhat diagnosed with bipolar I know that sounds weird but my Psychatrist told me from what I told her about my life she thinks Im bipolar never said which one there are two types I believe and I had to do my own research and I so related to the attributes on the list of what bipolar people feel, act or do.
My question is I always thought my mood disorder was because I was Bipolar because if you read up on bipolar people it says, they have mood disorders. I just started a new medication which is a mood stabilizer called Sereguel I sleep way past my normal sleep schedule and I hate this they say this goes away I hope it does soon.
I will do some more research on this mood disorder I have to see if being bipolar makes you automatically a moodier person and have to take mood stablilizers because one is Bipolar.
If you know if Bipolar is goes hand-in hand with mood disorder let me me know ok.
Rachel
Hi Rachel,
As I have said on the opening page to this one, I am not a psychiatrist or a physician, so I cannot say whether the medication you have been prescribed is correct for you. And it would not be right for me to do so.
What I definitely will say, however, is that if your medication isn’t working as it should, then please go back and see your physician and tell him or her this. A good physician should listen to you and monitor your progress.
As to Bipolar and mood disorders, as you have read, ‘mood disorders’ as they are termed are one of the main symptoms by which Bipolar Disorder is distinguished (I hate the term ‘disorder’ by the way, but that’s what they have chosen to call it…)
I’ve actually been diagnosed as ‘Bipolar’ by one psychiatrist, but others have said I have Dysthymia. It can be hard to tell the difference at times.
I was going to make a page about Bipolar Disorders soon, so I have a few notes. This is a little from my notes:
According to research, there are 4 types of Bipolar Disorder:
Bipolar I Disorder - severe mood swings, ranging from severe depression to normal mood to mania (a very exaggerated ‘high’)
Bipolar II Disorder - less severe or less frequent mood swings, ranging from depression to normal mood to hypomania (less severe mania)
Cyclothymic Disorder - milder Bipolar symptoms , ranging from milder depression to normal mood to a ‘high’ but not ‘manic’.
Bipolar Disorder Not Otherwise Specified - where you have some symptoms of Bipolar Disorder, but not all of them.
And all of these four may be related in some way to season changes (usually winter being the worst time for the depressive cycle)
And now I’ve written a lot from that page here, oh well
Hope that helps.
But please talk to your physican if you are in any way unsure of the treatment you are receiving. Thats what they are there for.
Good luck and thanks so much for visiting
zania
[...] my constant ‘highs and lows’ are the result of being disorganised, or a symptom of Dysthymia, producing this lack of concentration (as some psychiatrists have said…), or Bipolar Disorder [...]
Hi Zania, thank you so much for your blog posts. They are incredibly helpful for those of us who are supporting loved ones who are depressed. Recently, my (ex) boyfriend and I split up because we were long-distance and he is suffering with depression and migraines. Communication became an enormous challenge. Because we are living in two countries, I wanted to maintain daily contact but in the end, he said it was too much for him. I told him that I was disappointed that he thinks it’s best for him to further isolate himself (while he is very successful at work, he works from home alone, doesn’t go out with peers, and only spends time with his family) and that I will always be here if he wants to speak. Honestly, I tried to do everything possible to support him - looked up information on how to be supportive, tried to open dialogue so he would be proactive about his health, and generally tried to remain loving. In the end, though, his lack of affection and communication only made me unhappy even though I know it’s his depression causing it. He told me he didn’t want to make me unhappier, and now he is requesting time and space (because enough didn’t exist before in his view) to become accustomed to being friends. Nowhere in the discussion did he mention wanting to get treatment for his depression.
I don’t know what to do. He wants to be left alone, but isolation only serves to make depression worse. I don’t quite understand how a person who occasionally made reference to having a future together can suddenly retreat and not want to have anything to do with me! I also do not know how to be supportive now. Do you have any advice?
hi, i have diagnosed myself with dysthmia. I am not for taking mind controlling drugs from he doctor but i do no that it is the easy option. I have distanced myself from friends.
this has all occured from a chain of terrible events which has happened in my life.
i have just started to take st johns wart in ticture.
i used to go to psychotherapie a few years back but my therapist left to forfill something else. but i then i was raped nearly 3 years ago. and now i have 1 1/2 yrs old son.
i wont go to the doctor as all i was offerd was coucilling in the past and i feel im beyond that! also if these ID cards go through in england then i do not want my medical history to be on this card.
i am not in a finacial situation to pay £35 a time for therapy and im not sure what else i can do! i just want to be in cntact with someone who may be able to help.
my son is the only positive thing in my life. actually i have taken up yoga again and feel thats its a good move.
i just feel a constant low tone!
anything anyone says will be a help!
also ca i add that being raped was not a result of my son. it just happened all so quickly.