Dysthymic Disorder is a chronic mood disorder with depressive symptoms that occur for up to 2 years. But an obvious depression may or may not be the only or first symptom to present itself. It wasn't for me. Anger was my most obvious symptom. Chronic anger that persisted and only lessened sporadically. Dysthymic Disorder could also cause irritability, frustration, extreme anxiety and the inability to make decisions. I lived with Dysthymia for over 40 years believing I just had "ups" and "downs" and good days and bad days-just like everybody else.
Closely associated with Dysthymic Disorder is Cyclothymic Disorder. Cyclothymia is also a mild mood disorder and involves mood swings ranging from mild depression to an elevated mood know as hypomania. Cyclothymia is an illness similar to bipolar (manic depression); however, the highs and lows do not reach the severity or extremity as bipolar disorder.
The patterns of both Dysthymia and Cyclothymia are irregular and unpredictable. Both disorders often go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed as another disorder displaying similar symptoms. Both disorders are genetic which means a person suffering from either disorder is likely to have other relatives with the same disorder. And if you grow with other family members with either disorder, this factor will make it more difficult to realize you or your family suffer from these disorders. Both disorders can destroy marriages and other relationships as well as lead to job loss, drug abuse, alcholism and even suicide.
Currently, Dysthymia can be sucessfully treated with antidepressants prescribed by a psychiatrist. Women are more likely than men to have either disorder. However, those who suffer from Cyclothymia should take a mood stabilizer and avoid antidepressants unless a mood stabilizer taken along with the antidepressant.
People suffering from Dysthymia have an increased rick of developing major depression and people with Cyclothymia are at an increased rich of developing bipolar disorder.
Please...do not live with depression in any form. Seek help. Do it for yourself as well as your friends and family,
Born Mad, a book by Robyn Wheeler, is a true story about living for 40 years with an undiagnosed form of depression known as Dysthymic Disorder. Symptoms of dysthyia include chronic anger, frustration, anxiety, poor concentration, making a mountain out of a mole hill and low self-esteem. Dysthymia is rarely-talked about yet affects a greater percentage of the population than bipolar and schizophrenia combined.
I have ordered your book. I suspect very strongly that my husband has suffered from undiagnosed dysthymia his whole adult life and am hoping that your book may help me to understand better why it is that his anger has always been directed at me for no apparent reason.
ReplyDeleteK.