|
|
|
If you’re like many others, when
you read an article or watch a
TV commercial that lists the
symptoms of depression — sadness,
fatigue, irritability, weight gain or
loss and trouble sleeping — you may
think those symptoms almost, but
not quite, describe how
you sometimes feel. After
all, you can still go about
your usual activities, even
though it often seems as if
you’re just going through
the motions. “I’m just
stressed, not depressed,”
you think. Perhaps not.
Another type of depression
|
| 'I'm just stressed, not depressed,' you think. Perhaps not. |
You may suffer from a
chronic form of depression
called dysthymia.
With this mood disorder,
sometimes called the common cold of mental illness, symptoms
may not be as severe as
depression’s, but they can persist for
years. You may have had feelings of
gloominess, apathy and low energy
for so long that they’ve simply
become part of your personality or
you accept them as a result
of difficult life events. Perhaps
you also suffer
chronic physical ailments
such as headaches, backaches
or gastrointestinal
problems but don’t connect
these to your mood.
Dysthymia can prevent
you from functioning well
or feeling good and
increases your risk for
major depression or substance
abuse disorder.
Dysthymia may be
caused by many factors,
including genetic, psychological
and environmental
issues. It may result from a
serious loss, a difficult relationship
or financial problems.
Normally, the sadness
and other symptoms lift
after these events, but when
they don’t, these feelings
may persist for years.
Getting help
If you think you may suffer
from dysthymia, see your
VA health care provider. He
or she will first rule out
other causes of your symptoms
such as a viral illness.
Treatment depends on the
symptoms’ severity and may
include counseling, problem-solving
therapy and antidepressants.
Once you begin
treatment, try the following
strategies to help improve
your outlook:
Set realistic goals. Break
large projects into smaller,
more manageable tasks
and set priorities.
Socialize. Reach out to friends
and make new ones.
Find enjoyable activities. Go to a
movie, attend religious services or
begin an exercise program.
Treatments for dysthymia are
highly effective, but don’t expect to
just snap out of it or pull yourself
together on your own. And you’re
not alone — depression affects people
in all walks of life, including
famous people like Abraham Lincoln,
Mark Twain and Georgia
O’Keefe. You can lift sadness and
live a happier life, but you must
seek help.
|
