Dysthymic Disorder

Dysthymic disorder also known as Neurotic depression is a depressive mood disorder. It usually is current and happens every day or two years. Dysthymia is more common among African Americans and Mexican Americans than among

Caucasians. Womaen are twice as likely to suffer from this depreesive mood disorder than males. Women are diagnosed with dysthymic disorder at two to three times the rate as men. The cause of this may be the hormonal fluctuation from the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause. The daily responsiblites such as family responsiblities, motherhood, and competition may lead to the everday stress. Women in stable marriages have the lowest rates of depression. Men hide their

symptoms, and are less likely to seek help than females. Dysthymia in the elderly is common, especially in the death of a longtime parnter. Adolescents and young adults are the most age groups to have this disorder. An estimated 3% of the United States population have dysthmia. The Greek roots of the word dysthymia is"abnormal or disordered feelings".

Dysthymic disorder develops in early adulthood in those diagnosed lives. People with dysthymia will have a gloomy look on life and their

depression is daily. They tend to be negative and have low self-esteem. Happiness is a thing of the past for these patients. Many ignore their

problem and ignore their

depression for years. A person can have dysthymic disorder and another clinical depressive disorder at the same time (Double Depression). Causes of this disorder include genetics, social isolation, changes in the serotonin and chronic stress. Symptoms include:

Anxitey

Low energy,

Bad decision making

Social withdrawal

Chronic fatigue

Loss of short-term memory

Negative thoughts.

Having dysthymia is more likely to develop a personality disorder over a period of time. Dysthmymia can be broken down into to two types, anxious and anergic dysthymia. Anxious dysthymia pateints have low