Dysthymia

Dysthymia is a chronic form of depression marked by persistently low mood. In current diagnostic systems, the term is commonly associated with persistent depressive disorder.

Persistent depressive disorder: A depressive disorder involving depressed mood for at least two years in adults, with associated symptoms and functional effects. This is the current diagnostic category most closely associated with dysthymia.
Depressed mood: A sustained feeling of sadness, emptiness, or low spirits. Persistent depressed mood is the defining feature of dysthymia.
Psychotherapy: Treatment of psychological difficulties through structured conversation and other therapeutic methods. Psychotherapy can help address enduring negative thinking, coping patterns, and relationship difficulties.
Robert Spitzer: An American psychiatrist who led the development of influential psychiatric diagnostic classifications. His work on DSM-III helped establish dysthymia as a formal diagnostic category.
Major depressive disorder: A mood disorder defined by episodes of significant depressive symptoms lasting at least two weeks. Its episodic pattern contrasts with dysthymia’s persistent course, though both can occur together.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: A manual published by the American Psychiatric Association that classifies mental disorders and provides diagnostic criteria. DSM-5 incorporated dysthymia into the diagnosis of persistent depressive disorder.
Cognitive behavioral therapy: A structured psychotherapy that targets connections among thoughts, emotions, and behavior. It is one evidence-based therapy used for persistent depressive symptoms.
DSM-III: The 1980 third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. It introduced dysthymic disorder as a distinct diagnosis in the modern DSM system.
Depressive episode: A period of depressed mood or loss of interest accompanied by other depressive symptoms and impairment. A major depressive episode can occur during persistent depressive disorder, a pattern once called double depression.
International Classification of Diseases: A World Health Organization classification system for diseases and health conditions. Its diagnostic terminology provides an international counterpart to DSM categories.

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Depressive personality disorderCompared with: Its long duration made it difficult to distinguish from depressive personality traits.