What is dysthymia called now?

Dysthymia is a milder, but long-lasting form of depression. It’s also called persistent depressive disorder.

Why is dysthymia considered a paradoxical condition?

Experts refer to dysthymia as a paradoxical condition because it appears mild day to day but becomes brutal long-term, he said. Epidemiological studies reveal that dysthymia frequently has a devastating impact on people’s lives.

Why is it called dysthymia?

The concept was coined by Robert Spitzer as a replacement for the term “depressive personality” in the late 1970s. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), dysthymia is a serious state of chronic depression, which persists for at least two years (one year for children and adolescents).

Is dysthymia a serious mental illness?

Dysthymia is a serious disorder. It is not “minor” depression, and it is not a condition intermediate between severe clinical depression and depression in the casual colloquial sense. In some cases it is more disabling than major depression.

What is the best medication for dysthymia?

While the older antidepressants, such as tricyclics and MAOIs, are effective, the SSRIs are the medications most commonly used for dysthymia, likely because of their relative safety and milder side-effect profile.

Which antidepressant is best for dysthymia?

Treatment for Dysthymia A systematic review [22, 23] of antidepressant treatment for dysthymia suggests that SSRIs, TCAs, and monoamine oxidase inhibitors are all equally effective, but SSRIs may be slightly better tolerated.

Does dysthymia last forever?

Dysthymia, sometimes referred to as mild, chronic depression, is less severe and has fewer symptoms than major depression. With dysthymia, the depression symptoms can linger for a long period of time, often two years or longer.

How can dysthymia be prevented?

Prevention. There’s no sure way to prevent persistent depressive disorder. Because it often starts in childhood or during the teenage years, identifying children at risk of the condition may help them get early treatment.