Different Types of Depression: Dysthymia

Dysthymia is a long-term, less severe, though chronic form of depression. The symptoms of dysthymia do not completely disable a person; rather, they keep one from functioning at full steam. Those with dysthymia may have a predisposition for depression. Other causes include childhood trauma, difficult life changes, adjustment problems during adolescence, and chronic stress. Some of the most symptoms of dysthymia are:

• a depressed mood for most of the day, for more days
  than not, for at least two years
• sleep disturbances
• difficulty experiencing pleasure
• a hopeless, negative, or pessimistic outlook
• low energy, lethargy, or fatigue
• low self-esteem
• difficulty concentrating or making decisions
• persistent physical symptoms (such as headaches,
• digestive disorders or chronic pain) that do not
  respond to treatment.

Dysthymic Disorder is a common ailment, affecting about 3-5 percent of the general population. Dysthymic Disorder is characterized by the constant and steady presence of symptoms. Unfortunately, because dysthymia is not as severe as clinical depression, the condition is often undiagnosed or dismissed as a case of psychosomatic illness.