Question Posted Wednesday February 13 2008, 5:20 pm
its kind of a strange question, but.. is there a such thing as long-term dysthmia? i cant find anything on it. i mean, if you're sadder for longer than 1-2 years does that mean its turned into depression?
Yes, dysthymia is considered chronic, I believe.
And no, depression is not just sadness. Clinical depression actually involves a chemical imbalance in the brain. It isn't just feeling sad over something, like failing one test.
If one goes through an event that brings them severe emotional pain, they aren't necessarily clinically depressed (though they can be). A LOT of things can lead to depression, from traumatic experiences to diseases such as hepatitis.
However, if one is feeling sad for such a long period, I would suggest that they see a psychologist or psychiatrist. One of these can provide psychotherapy or medication (I've heard that a combination of both is most effective).
I know that psychotherapy can be done in cases of dysthymia, but I'm not sure if antidepressants are prescribed as much. Dysthymia isn't quite as severe as major depression.
Try doing more research. You spelled it wrong in your question: it's dysthymia. Try that and see if you get results.
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