Dysthymia is the clinical name for chronic depression. Chronic depression is the least severe of the different types of depression. Because it is chronic it can last for two years or more. The person suffering chronic depression is able to function in life but with an unhappy state of mind.
The causes of chronic depression can vary greatly. Some manifest symptoms after traumatic events. Some simply get depressed for seemly no reason at all. But clearly chronic depression symptoms have some relationship with brain chemistry.
Symptoms of Chronic Depression
- Delusions
- Irritability
- Hallucinations
- Guilty feelings
- Loss of interest
- Loss of emptiness
- Fatigue or low energy
- Insomnia or hypersomnia
- Feelings of hopelessness
- Low feeling of self-worth
- Loss of appetite or overeating
- Inability to experience pleasure
- Poor focus and decision-making
- Persistent feeling of sadness or emptiness
- Aches or pains, headaches, or intestinal problems that do not subside even with treatment
All symptoms may not be present. Some symptoms can fluctuate in intensity even to the point of major depression.
A person suffering who consistently experiences the symptoms of chronic depression may never be diagnosed. Most sufferers cannot remember when they first began to experience symptoms because they feel that they have always felt this way. They reach the point of believing their symptoms are just a part of their personality.
Family or friends may describe the sufferer as being generally an unhappy person. They may try to help the person “cheer up” or to look at situations or circumstances in a more positive way. Nothing seems to help.
Chronic depression tends to occur in families. Women are two to three times more likely to suffer from chronic depression than men.
Some sufferers describe their symptoms as chronic stress. It is difficult to determine if some patients are under intense environmental stress or if the chronic stress causes psychological stress in a regular environment.
The symptoms of chronic depression lessen or are totally eliminated with the proper medical treatment. If left untreated chronic depression can progress into major depression.
Causes of Chronic Depression
No one knows specifically what causes chronic depression. It is thought to be caused by a chemical imbalance involving serotonin. Serotonin is a natural chemical that is responsible for helping the brain cope with emotions. Outside influences such as chronic illness, major life stressors, relationship problems, and medications may also contribute to chronic depression.
