Dysthymia is a milder, but long-lasting form of depression. It's also called persistent depressive disorder. People with this condition may also have bouts of major depression at times.
Persistent depressive disorder is a continuous, long-term form of depression. You may feel sad and empty, lose interest in daily activities and have trouble getting things done. You may also have low self-esteem, feel like a failure and feel hopeless.
Untreated depression can cause physical changes to the brain, but with proper treatment, you can reverse these effects. Depression doesn't just affect your feelings and emotions. This condition can also have physical impacts, as well as the potential to change the structure and functions of the brain.
Persistent depressive disorder (PDD) is mild or moderate depression that doesn't go away. A person with PDD has a sad, dark, or low mood and two or more other symptoms of depression. The symptoms last most of the day, on most days, over a long period of time.
It's one of the most common and most treatable mental health disorders. With early, continuous treatment, people can gain control of their symptoms, feel better, and get back to enjoying their lives. There are effective treatments for depression, including medications (such as antidepressants), along with talk therapy.
This is called high-functioning depression, although it is also known by two other names: persistent depressive disorder (PDD) and dysthymic disorder. High-functioning depression produces low-grade depressive symptoms that can last for years, unlike episodes of major depression which tend to recede in 6-12 months.
Depression creates a sensation of isolation as if you are lost in the wilderness with no direction. The final stage is acceptance, which means you have finally made peace with the reality of your mental illness.
People who take their medications regularly and make some lifestyle changes can live long and healthy lives. These medications and lifestyle changes are treatments for diabetes. Depression is the same way. There's no cure for depression, but there are lots of effective treatments.
As if depression wasn't insidious enough, allow us to introduce you to its fickle, evil twin: treatment-resistant depression (TRD). A major depressive disorder, TRD describes depression that has failed to respond to at least two different antidepressant treatments.
Each person's recovery is different. Some recover in a few weeks or months. But for others, depression is a long-term illness. In about 20% to 30% of people who have an episode of depression, the symptoms don't entirely go away.
Plenty of evidence demonstrates the full range of effects on the body associated with depression. According to the Mayo Clinic, patients with untreated long-term depression are more prone to sleep disruptions, heart disease, weight gain or loss, weakened immune systems, and physical pain.
Clinical depression, or major depressive disorder, is often just called “depression.” It's the most severe type of depression. Without treatment, depression can get worse and last longer. In severe cases, it can lead to self-harm or death by suicide.
Studies found that people who have suffered depression for over ten years experience 30% more cerebral inflammation compared to those who suffer from a shorter period of depression. Since cerebral inflammation kills neurons, it can lead to many complications.
Along with therapy and sometimes medication, there's a lot you can do on your own to fight back. Changing your behavior -- your physical activity, lifestyle, and even your way of thinking -- are all natural depression treatments.
The average age of onset for major depressive disorder is between 35 and 40 years of age. Onset in early adulthood may be linked with more depressive episodes, a longer duration of illness, and therefore a more difficult clinical course.
Some have suffered bouts of depression, others have not. Some have had more than their share of adverse life events, while others have had an easier time of it.
In general, nearly everyone with depression has ongoing feelings of sadness, and may feel helpless, hopeless, and irritable. Without treatment, symptoms can last for many years. This condition is most often treated with medicine, therapy, or a combination of both.
The brain is a highly adaptable organ, and most individuals can expect their brain chemistry to return to its normal state over time after stopping antidepressants.
Clinical depression has been linked to other mental illnesses, such as anxiety disorders, panic disorder, social phobia, and generalized anxiety disorder.
Dysthymic disorder
It has similar symptoms to major depression, but they're less severe.
They'll ask about whether you've had thoughts of suicide or self-harm. A GP may use a questionnaire to assess your symptoms. Try to be as open and honest as you can be with your answers. Describing your symptoms and how they're affecting you will help the GP determine whether you have depression and how severe it is.
Basically, 30% of people with depression are diagnosed with treatment-resistant depression.
Although psychotic depression itself cannot evolve into schizophrenia, when severe depression is untreated or undertreated, it's possible for the resulting distress and side effects to trigger an underlying psychotic disorder, such as schizoaffective disorder.
Depression often gets worse if it isn't treated, resulting in emotional, behavioral and health problems that affect every area of your life. Examples of complications associated with depression include: Excess weight or obesity, which can lead to heart disease and diabetes. Pain or physical illness.