What is dysthymia?
Dysthymia is a state of chronic depression severe enough that people are plagued by some symptoms of depression, but not so severe that the number of depressive symptoms meet criteria for a full-blown major depressive episode. It is a chronic, mild depression rather than a frank, severe depressive episode. There is evidence, however, that people who have dysthymia suffer from as much or more disability over the long run, as compared to those who have severe depressive episodes but recover in between. Like major depression, dysthymia is an illness that can be successfully treated with antidepressant medications.
