Dysthymia & Long Term Depression
Symptoms & Diagnosis
Often the first time a sufferer from Dysthymia hears of Dysthymia is when they are diagnosed with it. . Dysthymia is a rarely diagnosed illness in the Uk . But is related to Depression something nearly everyone suffers sometime in their life.
In dysthymic disorder, depressive symptoms typically begin insidiously in childhood or adolescence and pursue an intermittent or low-grade course over many years or decades; major depressive episodes may complicate it (double depression). In pure dysthymia, depressive manifestations occur at a sub threshold level and overlap considerably with those of a depressive temperament: habitually gloomy, pessimistic, humorless, or incapable of fun; passive and lethargic; introverted; skeptical, hypercritical, or complaining; self-critical, self-reproaching, and self-derogatory; and preoccupied with inadequacy, failure, and negative events.
Officially the symptoms of Depression as defined in DSM-IV ( Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ) are:-
1. At least two years of symptoms, including more days then not of depressed mood.
2. While depressed at least two of the following:
A. Feelings of hopelessness.
B. Impairment in cognitive functioning.( E.g.,Hard time concentrating, Hard time in making decisions )
C. Loss of appetite or overeating.
D. Low levels of energy or fatigue.
E. Low self-esteem.
F. Problems with sleep.( E.g.,Insomnia,Hypersomnia )
Can I self Diagnose Dysthymia?
You may have had depression on and off for a number of years, prehaps either taking antidepressants or an alternative like St John's Wort , you have visited your doctor several times, but all you get as a diagnosis is depression.
If the depression has gone of for sometime without no obvious cause then its possible you may have dysthymia, however it is only a possibility, as dysthymia is long term depression, however it could be just possible that you could be suffering from another type of depression, possibly Bipolar, so its never definite. So its best not to self diagnose but wait as things may become more clearer to yourself and your doctor as time passes.
Treatments for Dysthymia
The treatments for Dysthymia are the same as for depression, it could involve a course of Antidepressants such as Prozac, Seroxat, Venlafaxine or Dosulepin are among the commonest prescribed. Counseling or Psychotherapy may be involved or at the more severe end a psychiatrist and possibly even hospital admission.
However where the depression is milder then St John's Wort, homeopathy, psychotherapy or similar alternatives can be considered.
