How Do Major Depressive Disorder & Dysthymic Disorder Differ?
Major depressive disorder is characterized by the sudden onset of a severely depressed mood that dominates your life and makes it difficult to function. Dysthymia, on the other hand, is a chronic, moderately depressed mood that is more long-term. Dysthymia may not make it impossible to function, but it does interfere with your living life to the fullest.
