Dysthymia is one of the predominant types of depressive disorders in children and adolescents. It is an affective disorder characterized by chronically depressed mood (or irritable mood) that occurs most of the time for at least one year (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 1994). In differentiating dysthymia from major depressive disorder, the mood disturbance in dysthymia is typically less severe, lasts longer, and may not remit. Additionally, dysthymia is thought to have an earlier onset than major depressive disorder.
Chronic, persistent depressed mood; essentially a form of mild depression. In adults, the depressed mood of dysthymia lasts for at least 2 years and is accompanied by two or more of the following symptoms: poor appetite or overeating, inability to sleep (insomnia) or too much sleep (hypersomnia), low energy or fatigue, low self-esteem, poor concentration, difficulty making decisions, and feelings of hopelessness. Treatment consists of psychotherapy, antidepressant medications, or both.
A variety of affective disorder or mood disorder that frequently exhibits similarities to a milder but persistent variant of major depressive disorder.