Many people suffer from depression type symptoms for years without ever realizing they have a condition called dysthymic disorder. Dysthymic disorder is characterized by a long standing chronic depression condition. The onset is usually in adolescence and must last for a period of two years in chronic depression to be considered dysthmia..

The disorder is often called general depression or chronic depression. In its moderate form  of depression, and it  is usually always present. In fact, many sufferers of this don't realize they are ill, they just come to believe this is the way they are. I’ve had this condition for 30 years and at times it can become debilitating. Certain stressful conditions can trigger major depression or extreme panic disorder.

Dysthmic condition leaves a person with an often negative view of the world and a life that looks unchangeable.

But the good news, this dysthymic disorder is treatable and life doesn't have to be a series of painful episodes and suffering.

Symptoms.

Long standing chronic dysthymia is often recogonized by many classic symptoms:
Sad mood; Difficulty sleeping (or sleeping too much); Appetite (increase or loss); Feelings of worthlessness;

Feelings of hopelessness; Thoughts of suicide; Anxiety; Difficulty motivating (feeling like everything is a chore);Loss of interest in things that you used to enjoy ; Being sensitive to or fearful of rejection; Thinking that the world view is only black or white, no room for grey .

Treatment.

Because dysthymia is a chronic depression, it can require longer treatment times than major depression. Both medications (antidepressant) and talk therapy are used to treat dysthymia.Because dysthymia can create thought, belief and behavior patterns that can lead to recurring episodes, talk therapy is vital to overcoming this disorder.

Medications.

When antidepressants are prescribed for dysthymic condition, the treatment lasts for up to five years. Because of the long standing condition that may have led to personal beliefs and behaviors, today's medications need to be used for a long period.

 Almost all prescribed medicine for dysthymic disorder is from the class of SSRI's. The most common  known is prozac. The SSRI's are designed to work on the serotonin levels in the brain. It has been widely researched that depressed people have a lower serum level of serotonin. It is not currently understood  why this is. It is linked to genetics.

SSRI prescription  is thought to be believed to help alleviate the feelings of hopelessness and allow more true feelings of postive things.  Different types of SSRI’s work on different subcategories of serotonin, so your doctor may prescribe other brands depending on your evaluation.

Talk Therapy.

Most professionals agree that medication alone wont wholly treat dysthymia. Some sort of talk therapy is often prescribed. There is often a trigger to our dysthymia or clinical depression. We may have had a traumatic experience, such as a panic attack, or be living in a situation that is emotionally stressful.

When we're chronically depressed, we often feel that the world is only black and white, no gray. We feel  there is no use trying to correct a bad situation. We may feel we're not worthy of being happy. Most people that suffer from dysthymic condition have developed a personal belief that certain people don’t like them, or we are over sensitive to how we think people view us.These perceptions are usually caused by the dysthymia or clinical depression, and we need to talk with a mental health professional to overcome these misconceptions.

Without a doubt, if you have this type of condition, first understand that You are Not the disease. It is a chemical imbalance. Not a character flaw; You’re not overly shy or sensitive;

Often these traumatic episodes are difficult to talk about. Ignoring bad experiences never works. You need to deal with the bad experiences with the help of a mental care professional. This process can be painful and emotionally draining, but the payoff  is that you will feel better .

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