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.
Sometimes, depression symptoms will last for only a few weeks. For many people though, untreated depression could last months and even years. Regardless of how long you've experienced depression, the condition is treatable.
Persistent depressive disorder (also called dysthymia or dysthymic disorder) consists of less severe symptoms of depression that last much longer, usually for at least 2 years.
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.
Dysthymic disorder
Dysthymia is long-term depression which lasts at least 2 years. It has similar symptoms to major depression, but they're less severe.
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is a type of major depressive disorder (MDD). It happens when at least two different first-line antidepressants aren't enough to manage the condition during a depressive episode.
Untreated clinical depression is a serious problem. Untreated depression increases the chance of risky behaviors such as drug or alcohol addiction. It also can ruin relationships, cause problems at work, and make it difficult to overcome serious illnesses.
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.
Share on Pinterest Therapy may help a person manage symptoms of depression. Depression is a lifelong condition, as there is no cure. However, this does not necessarily mean that it will affect a person every day of their life. With the right treatment plan, remission is possible.
People experiencing a nervous breakdown may dissociate or have suicidal thoughts. Unable to perform the activities of everyday life, they usually require treatment from a mental health professional. A nervous breakdown may last for days, weeks, months—even years.
Types of Bipolar Disorder
Usually, separate depressive episodes occur as well, typically lasting at least 2 weeks. Episodes of mood disturbance with mixed features are also possible. The experience of four or more episodes of mania or depression within a year is termed “rapid cycling.”
Whatever the cause, your first step is to let your doctor know how you're feeling. They may refer you to a mental health specialist to help figure out the type of depression you have. This diagnosis is important in deciding the right treatment for you.
Persistent depressive disorder (PDD) is a mild to moderate chronic depression. It involves a sad or dark mood most of the day, on most days, for two years or more. PDD is common and can happen to anyone at any age. The most effective treatment combines medication, counseling and healthy lifestyle choices.
Ongoing depression likely causes long-term changes to the brain, especially in the hippocampus. That might be why depression is so hard to treat in some people. But researchers also found less gray matter volume in people who were diagnosed with lifelong major depressive disorder but hadn't had depression in years.
When you suffer from depression, your brain is physically changed. Research by the National Institutes of Health shows that you lose gray matter volume (GMV) when you suffer from depression. This loss is caused by parts of your brain shrinking due to the hormone cortisol impeding the growth of your brain cells.
Long-term Depression (Cerebellum)
LTD is optimally induced by conjunctive stimulation of climbing fibers and granule cell axons at 1–4Hz by 100–300 pulses.
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.
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.
That is the case for major depression. Heritability is probably 40-50%, and might be higher for severe depression. This could mean that in most cases of depression, around 50% of the cause is genetic, and around 50% is unrelated to genes (psychological or physical factors).
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.
Dysthymia is milder, yet more long lasting than major depression. Each person may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include: Lasting sad, anxious, or “empty” mood.
Depressive episodes in bipolar II disorder are similar to "regular" clinical depression, with depressed mood, loss of pleasure, low energy and activity, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, and thoughts of suicide. Depressive symptoms of bipolar disorder can last weeks, months, or, rarely, years.