Talk:Dysthymia
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[edit] St. John's Wort
Please note that while one survey did indeed show a small improvement using Saint John's Wort, several other surveys have shown no benefit at all for the consumption of Saint John's Wort. In fact, some studies show that Saint John's Wort is hazardous to the health of some individuals. --Desertphile 19:51, 4 March 2006 (UTC)
- I have heard the same thing in regards side effects of St. Johns Wort (including excessive bleeding) - however, since it was word of mouth I am unable to reference it. Is there any place that does have this information? - Darkstar949 16:38, 6 March 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Request for Information
More information on dysthymia would be very helpful. What are the current treatment regimens for this disorder? My understanding is that it is usually treated effectively with anti-depressant medication.
The description offered in "Classical Use of the Term" strikes me as sounding more like paranoia. I'd say that I am dysthymic in some sense relating to the "Classical" definition. Untreated, I often felt hopelessness from perceptions of an uncharitable society. On medication, my view has changed somewhat. I instead view society as a vastly incompetent and disorganized structure, full of selfish people struggling just to get by and provide for their children, me stuck in the middle of it. Treatment with pharmacology (paroxetine) doesn't seem to be entirely effective in my case.
Ambadias - From the background research I carried out on the subject, which is of some importance to me because I was diagnosed with it, the primary treatment methods are anti-depressants, mirtazapine (zispin) being what I was prescribed. Because its a NASSA one of the new "clusters" of medication (so says my psychiatrist) it targets noradrenaline and serotonin reuptake. This is believed to relieve the primary depression, specifically with comorbid anxiety I think this is the right course of treatment for dysthymics with anxious tendencies. As to actual figures of success rates with mirtazapine I am unsure. Mirtazapine can also be taken at night to assist in sleep, personal experience with the drug is that its ability to do this tapers off as possible tolerance increases. Other treatment methods suggested should perhaps be specific to the case, psychodynamic perhaps being used for the bullying victim, CBT for those who might just have negative cognitive process. Can someone tell me if my contribution here is ok, im unsure if I can post personal opinions or experiences while trying to better the dysthymia entry in wikipedia. Thanks! Ambadias.
Readable references (review papers maybe?) would be a great help.
Wikipedia really has the power to help transform health care. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 69.118.80.7 (talk • contribs).
See a useful Q&A about dysthymia (also known as dysthymic disorder) at: http://www.depressionny.com/q&a.htm —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 156.111.105.71 (talk • contribs).
- When I was diagnosed with Dysthymia, the psychiatrist said that anti-depressants could help to dull the symptoms, to a degree, but I actually have to have psychotherapy in order to treat it.
- In the case of Dysthymia, anti-depressants are like taking pain killers for a stab wound. They might (in theory) ease the pain, but it's not going to cure the wound.--Jcvamp 01:36, 17 July 2006 (UTC)
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- "More information on dysthymia would be very helpful. What are the current treatment regimens for this disorder? My understanding is that it is usually treated effectively with anti-depressant medication."
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- It can be. However, due to the long-term nature of this condition, some doctors recommend cognative therapy in conjunction. --Mal 14:57, 14 August 2006 (UTC)
Any research on cultural causes? If everything around you has gone to hell then not being dysthymic would seem to be abnormal also. Smiling at funerals and bread lines looks really creepy.
[edit] Dysthymia is not a form of depression
Regardless of ciculated belief, doctors unofficially consider it part of personality disorders, and not a form of actual depression. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 209.226.121.143 (talk • contribs).
- First, you should sign your comments, and second, I have not heard anywhere, that dysthymia is not a form of depression. Also, considering the fact that the DSM-IV-TR uses the term 'depressed' in the diagnosis criteria for dysthymia, I find your comment to be suspect at best. - Darkstar949 21:15, 15 March 2006 (UTC)
- I agree with the previous writer that I have also NEVER see dysthymia considered as a personality disorder as opposed to depression. My education level is Registered Nurse with Degree.
Notes for whoever revises this next: the link at the bottom which claims to go tot he DSM description goes to a UK-based page, and doesn't seem to say it's using the DSM description. A US-based page such as the following: http://www.psych.org/psych_pract/treatg/pg/Depression2e.book-11.cfm#table8 might be more helpful, either as an addition or instead of the other link, which while helpful might need relabeling. Feyandstrange 03:46, 29 April 2006 (UTC)
Huh? What? dysthymia is not a form of depression? That unsigned assertion of the first writer is dead wrong. Having been a chronic dysthymic for decades I know with first hand knowledge what it is and how it is treated. While it is indeed in part a form of a personality disorder, it is primarily a form of depression; witch could be considered to be a personality disorder in itself . Bdelisle 05:12, 5 June 2006 (UTC)
The comment that dysthymia is often considered as a characterological issue rather than a "depressive" issue is absolutely correct (I am a clinical psychology doctoral candidate- while others in the field may disagree with me, I am sure many others concur). However, it is important to note that the syndrome results in mild depression, so it's really not an either/or proposition. Dysthymia's etiology seems to be rooted in styles of caretaking by parents (e.g., when the child becomes a narcissistic extension of the parents)- as such, it's considered "characterological." While Axis II disorders do seem to have a more insidious connotation than Axis I disorders, we should nevertheless not dismiss the disorder as being characterized as a "depressive style" rather than a "lifelong depression." 66.65.205.50 11:50, 20 October 2006 (UTC)MrABD
[edit] Dysthymia lasts for at least 2 years??
I've been looking at the "cyclothymia" entry which links here. Do you know if there is dysthymia that lasts for only days or hours? Frumpter 05:02, 22 May 2006 (UTC)
- One of the requirements for a diagnosis of Dysthymia is that you have had a depressed mood for more than two years, as such there is no form of Dysthymia that lasts for a short period of time. --Darkstar949 14:08, 22 May 2006 (UTC)
206.183.116.36 05:19, 19 August 2006 (UTC)Any Suggestions???I have had low energy my whole life, and up till I was 42 years old very severe insomnia and ADD.... At that point, I went through several months of episodes of nearly loosing consiousness or actually loosing consciousness till my imbalances were diagnosed. The antidepressant prescribed has helped my insomnia somewhat and has greatly helped my mind from hopping from one thing to the next. But it hasn't done anything for my energy level, I can feel fine one minute and terrible the next. My son who is 23 was diagnosed with dysthymia, tried antidepressants...also found them useless. I really feel for him. Woking is very hard on him, his self-esteem is very poor. He keeps pushing himself, but he should really only be working part-time.... I think. Is there anything else that could really help him? e-mailing me would be fine....attn: Donna through our address jim@ronan.net August 2006206.183.116.36 05:19, 19 August 2006 (UTC)
For whatever it's worth: I was officially diagnosed as having "major depression" about 8 years ago, having been seeing psychiatrists for a long time before that .. but that's another story. A few years later the diagnosis changed to "dysthymia" because, I suppose, through use of medications and cognitive therapy, I got better to the point where I could function somewhat adequately in society. The underlying chemical imbalance is still there and I'm still undergoing treatments. There are difficulties in trying to lead a "normal" life with which the therapy is helping me to cope, hence the "long term" aspect of dysthymia. .. For those interested, I've been on Effexor for a few years now and it seems to work best for me.--xcq 16:52, 30 September 2006 (UTC) 66.65.205.50 11:50, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
