Dysthymia: There is Nothing Mild About Mild Depression

Millions of healthy individuals experience brief periods of sadness or despair. Most will recover from a negative mood with time or when situational triggers have been resolved. Others, however, carry the burden of melancholy endlessly, unaware they may actually be suffering from a treatable medical condition.

Mild depression that persists for years is called dysthymia, or dysthymic disorder. It is a clinical condition for which treatment is strongly recommended. The long term consequences of this chronic mood disorder can be as destructive and deadly as any other form of depression.

Dysthymic Disorder
Dysthymia is a depressive disorder that shares many of the characteristics of major depression, but to a lesser extent. Both effect mood, alter behavior, and impair one's ability to function normally, but where the impact of major depression is easily identifiable, the symptoms of dysthymia can be so subtle they are confused for personality traits Mild depression often goes undiagnosed because the symptoms are somewhat manageable and individuals learn to accept and compensate for their depressed state.

Another important distinction between major depression and dysthymia is the time a person is typically afflicted.Major depression may last indefinitely, but need only persist two weeks to qualify for diagnosis. Dysthymic disorder, by definition, lasts at least two years or more. According to the Mayo Clinic, though the symptoms of dysthymia are milder, the condition can be more detrimental than major depression simply because it affects individuals for so long.

Symptoms
Dysthymia can disrupt all aspects of daily living. Harvard Medical School reports common symptoms of dysthymic disorder include depression, fatigue, impaired thinking, feelings of worthlessness, lack of hope, changes in appetite, and sleep disturbance. Individuals do not need to experience all these symptoms to be considered clinically dysthymic. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains a diagnosis of dysthymia requires two consecutive years of a predominantly depressed state along with two other symptoms that are also present for the majority of those two years.

Risk Factors
The Office of the Surgeon General estimates two percent of adults experience dysthymia in any given year. Certain risk factors increase the likelihood of being affected by the condition. According to the Mayo Clinic, individuals are at heightened risk for dysthymic disorder if they have a family history of depressive disorders, experience chronic illness, or battle stress Dr. Gabrielle J. Melin, M.D. of the Mayo Clinic reports women are twice as likely as men to develop this form of depression.

Treatment
Many dysthymic adults do not seek treatment, believing their mild depression is a natural part of life. These individuals may successfully manage their symptoms and function fairly well for some time. Without treatment, however, symptoms of dysthymia can become more severe and disabling.

Johns Hopkins University (JHU) warns dysthymic disorder is likely to progress to major depression if left untreated. The presence of both dysthymia and major depression is commonly referred to as "double depression'. JHU further cautions that dysthymia is not a minor condition, but one that carries significant health risks, including suicide. Therapeutic intervention should take place before patients deteriorate into mental health crisis

Dysthymia treatment options consist mainly of antidepressant medication and psychotherapy. According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, medication is slower to work and generally less effective in treating dysthymic disorder than major depression. The agency suggests using both treatment options to achieve greater recovery.