Anyone have experience with low-level chronic depression like dysthymia? Full-on major depressive disorder is something I already knew about, having gone through it once myself. But the other day I was reading an article that described it as "just a vague sadness" that persists for years until it becomes part of the ordinary background noise of your life. You still function normally, you do fairly well, but you're always down. And you tend to start filling that void with...God knows what. Anyone heard of this?
I have never heard of it but I can relate to it. I have struggled with depression for a good part of my life and that is how I would describe it. For the most part it was never a major depression but I just constantly felt down and sad almost every day of life. It just became the norm for me to feel that way. I never heard to diagnosed as dysthymia before but I would definitely say that is what I suffer from. I will have to look more into it.
I've heard of this condition before and think more should be done to raise awareness. Many people feel down but believe that they aren't depressed, as such. They may well benefit from some kind of therapy in order to lift their mood. Otherwise, as @BrandonA quite rightly says, they could start looking for ways to fill the void and we all know what that can mean.
I have never heard of this before but there could be a cure for it. This type of depression must be rare. There are natural treatments for depression depending on the severity. Of course alcohol or drug use isn't good if your dealing with depression.
I did a psychological test which diagnosed me with dysthymia, and I can say that I'm sad and kind of down most of the time. I had a huge depression which lasted seven years, but now the symptoms aren't as bad anymore. Still it left a void of sadness in my life and I try to cover it by seeing the good things that happen to me day by day. I find it hard, but at least I am sane again.
I figured it was worth bringing up. It's almost more dangerous than an acute major diagnosis, because with dysthymia, one has simply accepted it as part of their personality and normalized it in their life. Thus, it can go without treatment or even without diagnoses for years. The good news is, it's more treatable with simple solutions. Changing thought patterns, developing coping skills, exercise/sleep/food regimens, all that. But it's important that one realizes that his or her happiness is worth the effort. Letting something like this wear you down over the years isn't something we should just roll over and accept.
I suspect this may be my problem, rather than major depression. Of course self-diagnosis is dangerous, but having read up on this a bit, it does seem to describe much of my life. I have had major depressive episodes, but more often than not, I was someone who’d go about my day quite normally - except for these vague nagging feelings of sadness and… futility, I suppose. Everything felt pointless, but I would do it anyway, because what else could I do? That has abated somewhat since I became aware of that thought pattern, and implemented behavioral and lifestyle changes. I admit I do still run up against it when life throws a curveball at me, but I’m getting better at recognizing that such situations are temporary. I don’t need to slip back into my old thought patterns permanently because something not-so-great happens.
Thanks for bringing this up! It certainly is a real thing but many people dont know it - they think someone is either a) happy or b) depressed, but dysthymia is an in-between that I am sure many people experience without being aware of it.
I had searched and learned that dysthymia is only one form of depression. The symptoms of dysthymia includes the person always had mood disorders, poor self esteem, poor concentration, had chronic fatigue, and had long time sleeping problems. Sometimes the symptoms had existed already for a long time ago in a certain person's life that they did not know that they had this kind of disorder. This is the reason why a person suffering from dysthymia is not being diagnose even up to their old age. Because they always thought of this thing as a an ordinary or a simple kind of depression only.
I am not aware of the term dysthymia as one form of depression as I thought it will just a matter or mild and severe depression. I have suffered depression and there are times too that I feel so sad and will think that it is just normal mood swings. Agree that better to understand dysthymia more since it can lead to some issues if not given the right attention.
This is the first time I hear of dysthymia, sounds like another wacky Greek word. However, I've suffered from depression in the past. I enjoyed a relatively good upbringing without any major problems. But I always felt a bit sad for some unknown reason. As I got older, I started feeling more depressed. Perhaps, I suffered from dysthymia without realizing it.
I'd don't know this type of condition existed. I sometimes feel down when I feel too many things not in my control are happening too fast or at once. Sometimes we just bottle up our feeling when we need to bring them to our awareness and attention.
I heard of this; I am currently being treated for depression due to a some severe trauma in my family. However my doctor believes I have dysthymia and will likely need to consider continuing ongoing treatment because I've had low levels of depression for years. One thing that has helped though is to try to anticipate as many things as I can that make me feel down so that I can prepare for them. Times around my time of the month and certain holidays, I try to prepare for by making sure my house is clean, I have some good groceries and time with friends planned in advance so I don't get as depressed. It helps a lot but it's no fun to feel down much of the time!
Now I have heard of this specifically but depression is common. I'm just learning it has to do with the adrenal glands. You need to get them going to get out of the depression. Its physiological not psychological. The system is not functioning properly so it effects you. I think I heard a doctor say depression is not a prozac deficiency. Lol
I wasn't aware of the word or the description until now, but I may have it. I can relate to the fact that I have vague depressive, negative background noise that's been lurking around for years. The worst part is that often these kind of feelings are seemingly directionless, without a real cause. I will definitely look into it more.
I believe I suffer from this, I have also suffer from full blown depression, and let me tell you I prefer this vague depression over the full blown one. The full blown one almost made me kill myself! twice! But yes, I still feel depressed, the background noise description is perfect! That is how it feels for me! Suddenly the friends that used to be so important for me are not anymore, same with the things I liked or care about deeply. I know I am depressed.
This is the first time I have heard of this type of depression but I can relate to it. Sometimes, I am sad for no reason and it seems to be a constant factor in my life. I often find no reason behind my sadness and it would be hard to describe how I am feeling. I will have to look into this further and see if it explains my depression or not.
Yep. Sounds very much like what I used to suffer with and I had read about when searching up my symptoms. Wouldn't it also be called Existential Depression? No medicine or therapy seemed to help with it. I basically had to spend years and years changing my mind myself. It wasn't easy, I had to find a way to change my whole outlook on life. It was basically being alive that was the problem. Some people just seem to constantly and consistently attract bad luck and trauma into their lives completely unintentionally. It makes surviving difficult.