Posted by JohnL on December 25, 2002, at 6:15:37
In reply to Can anybody explain me what is dysthymia?, posted by Tepiaca on November 11, 2002, at 15:19:50
Dysthymia is a mild form of depression that is always present. Unlike major depressive bouts that come and go. Dysthymia is there all the time. It can take on many faces. For example, one might be socially withdrawn and sad all the time, but still able to function. This can look very much like a withdrawn schizophrenic. One might have no interest in any activities, but other than that they function ok. With dysthymia, one is generally sad, but able to work and get through the day. With major depression, it is very difficult if not impossible for the person to function. With dysthymia, even though they are handicapped, they can at least work and function.
Though it is common practice to group symptom clusters into different categories, there is actually quite a bit of overlap between different conditions and symptoms. For example, all my life I have been classified by various doctors as the following: Major Depression; Bipolar Major Depression; Dysthymia; Bipolar with psychotic features. Who was right? I think they were all partially correct. I think it is too limiting to call myself one or the other. There are bits of each at different times.
With my depression, I could work and function. But I had zero interest in anything, and I was always sad and withdrawn. It would be easy to label that dysthymia. It could also be labelled schizophrenia with predominantly negative symptoms. However, no medicine out there intended to treat depression worked for me. Instead, what worked was an antipsychotic. Either Zyprexa or Amisulpride work great. Yep, an antipsychotic did a far better job on my dysthymia than any antidepressant. This is why trying to classify symptoms can mistakenly lead someone down the wrong med path.
My overall message is that it may be helpful to put a label on your symptoms, as it is human nature to try to classify and organize things, but that the medicine that ends up helping you the most may easily be one that has little to do with depression or dysthymia.
My personal favorite dysthymia busters:
Prozac with Zyprexa combination; Adrafinil, Amisulpride. Other good candidates: Effexor, Wellbutrin, Ritalin, Adderall. Though clinical studies show that the SSRIs are effective for dysthymia, in my experience they are not. I could be wrong, but it is my opinion that major depression is mostly a serotonin related thing, while dysthymia is more related to dopamine or norepinephrine but not so much serotonin.Hope this is helpful.
JohnL
>
> Can anybody explain me , what is dysthymia?
> Do you have psychotics features ?
> Thanx
poster:JohnL
thread:1516
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20021109/msgs/1944.html