Depression vs Dysthymia: What’s the Difference? - Dr Deepthi D

In mental health, depression is a term which is quite common today. It is employed to refer to a condition that persists for weeks to years, characterized by low mood and little interests.

However, various subtypes of depressive disorder are known, including Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Dysthymia or Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD) most often in conversation. They are both known to alter mood and quality of life, however their features, course, and consequences differ.

To most people, Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is the kind of depression they think about or associate their condition with. It is defined by its more acute symptoms that affect their ordinary activities.

Patients with MDD have both emotional and physical symptoms; this consists of: depressed mood, anhedonia, weight gain/weight loss, insomnia, and delusions of guilt.

Other associated symptoms may be physical such as body discomforts including general body weakness, body pains amongst others. This form of depression tends to happen in episodes and each episode lasts for at least two weeks, though some episodes can last longer in some people.

Persistent depressive disorder, formerly known as dysthymia, is in contrast a long-term type of depression. It is less severe than MDD, but chronic—can last for several years.

Dysthymia is characterized by fewer and less severe symptoms as compared to major depressive disorder but of much longer pause. The mood disturbance in dysthymia is present for the most part of each day, although not as severe as that of a major depressive episode, a diagnosed condition that occurs more often.

However, to diagnose clinically, these symptoms must have been present for at least 2 years in adults, and 1 year in children and adolescents.

Understanding the Distinctions

Duration: The only major variation between these two disorders is based on the time that the symptoms persist. Major Depressive Disorder is episodic in nature, while dysthymia is chronic. Therefore, although MDD can cause significant disablement at certain periods of time, dysthymia causes steady, low-grade dysfunctioning in everyday tasks.

Intensity: The other distinguishing feature is the intensity of symptom manifestation. A person with MDD tends to report the more severe symptoms and is incapacitated during the depressive episodes. However, dysthymia is a mild form of depression, but it stays on with the person and is persistent.

Functional Impact: Even though both disorders have the potential to be significantly disabling, dysthymia tends to be so chronic that people come to consider their mood as normal. Such an adaptation can lead to delayed treatment because most people will assume that their extended period of being sad is just part of who they are or their life.

Shared Features and Treatment

Nonetheless, the two conditions have similarities: they can occur together with other forms of depression, such as anxiety or substance dependency. Both also have possible gene, biochemical, and nurtural causes, and symptom worsening is associated with social factors.

Of course, treatment strategies also tend to partially or fully coincide when addressing all four goals. Evidently, different treatments – psychotherapeutic, pharmacologic, and behavioural modifications work well in treating both disorders.

CBT and IPT are ordinary types of psychotherapy, people easily get familiar with CBT and IPT. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) kind of drugs are also prescribed for it, though the treatment has to be specialized.

Despite both being classified as mental disorders, there are differences between MDD and Dysthymia, which clinicians can utilise to help make the correct diagnosis and thus apposite treatment.

It is important to note dysthymia as a separate and especially treatable disorder, rather than a person’s tendency to feel low helps people look for help and get better.

For the people, who have been diagnosed with one or the other of these disorders, the first and foremost step towards a healthy life is to seek help for your medical provider.

It is these differences to understand not only the expansion of the perspective, but also the desire for tolerance to people who, with a smile on their lips, are struggling with depression every day.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are of the author and not of Health Dialogues. The Editorial/Content team of Health Dialogues has not contributed to the writing/editing/packaging of this article.