Dysthymia vs Depression – Differences, Symptoms, Risks and Causes

Dysthymia and depression are two severe types of mental disorders associated with deep sadness. In medical terms, dysthymia is PDD or persistent depressive disorder, and depression is MDD or major depressive disorder. 

Hence, though both the diseases share some common symptoms, you need to understand the basic differences between these two to choose the correct treatment. So keep reading to know about the details of dysthymia vs depression

Dysthymia, or persistent depressive disorder, is a chronic mental disorder and a type of depression. People with dysthymia lose interest in daily activities due to deep hopelessness. The condition, therefore, affects relationships, studies and work.

Due to PDD, people become sad also, even on happy occasions. Besides, though this sad situation is persistent, it is not as harmful as depression. However, as the condition is chronic in nature, it sometimes becomes challenging to handle the symptoms.

Depression is a common mental illness due to a negative impact on your mental health. The effect of depression is profound on individuals, and symptoms are very strong. Depression is also known as major depressive disorder. Due to its harmful symptoms, it affects the daily work and capability of thinking and blocks the ways of feeling.

In the present world, depression affects 1 out of 15 adults, with a ratio of 6.7%. Besides, 1 out of 6 people faces depression at least once. The majority of people who face severe depression are teens and people in their mid-20s.

Though these two diseases are quite similar, they show different symptoms. 

Symptoms of Dysthymia

The symptoms of Dysthymia are as follows - 

• Sadness
• Loss of hope
• Unwillingness to do regular work
• Poor appetite
• Sleep disorder
• Problems in decision making
• Tiredness
• Lack of body strength
• Loss of energy
• Decreased productivity
• Fatigue
• Awakening in the early morning

Symptoms of Depression 

The symptoms of depression are as follows -

• A continuous sadness
• Loss of interest in the activities that once enjoyed
• Sleeping disorder
• Feeling of guilt
• Demotivation and worthless feelings
• Being suicidal
• Frequent fatigue and energy loss
• Loss of appetite or overeating
• Losing weight or gaining weight
• Difficulty in concentration
• Meaningless physical activities include slowed speech and movement, inability to sit still, etc.

There are various causes of depression and dysthymia. Dysthymia and depression are mainly caused by trauma and stress that disrupts body function. Let us dive into them one by one.

Causes of Dysthymia

The potential causes of dysthymia are as follows -

1. Physical Changes in Brain

People who suffer from PDD may have physical changes in the brain. This may be due to any neurological disorder or accident. Due to these changes, people may face low brain functioning, which may cause dysthymia.

2. Unfortunate Events

PDD happens due to any major life event such death of a loved one, failure, traumatic situations etc. These incidents cause pressure on nerves and brain, thus affecting regular work and thinking capabilities.

3. Hereditary Issues

Sometimes, dysthymia can come through the bloodline. Research proves that symptoms of dysthymia are more prominent in people with the same problem in their families. Thus, researchers are more into finding the dysthymia-causing genes and their treatments.

4. Chemical Complications in Brain

There are several brain chemicals that can trigger brain functionality for a positive mental state. Neurotransmitters are an example of these hormones that play an effective role in depression. Any discrepancy in these hormones can cause an emotional imbalance that may result in dysthymia.

Causes of Depression

The causes of depression are as follows -

1. Illness

Illness or other physical disorders may cause a deep depressive state. In addition, continuous medications sometimes also cause mood disorders, bringing depression.

2. Abuse

Emotional, physical or sexual abuse in childhood or any stage of life can cause a depressive mindset. Further, it hampers social appearance and other behavioural issues.

3. Ageing

Older adults may be more prone to depression due to age factors. This happens due to low blood circulation, brain cell death and low secretion of hormones. Further, the condition gets worse by living alone.

4. Gender

It has been clinically proven that gender plays a significant role in depression. Therefore, this is likely to be said that women get more depression than men due to different hormonal changes.

5. Major Events

Different life events such as failure, retirement, divorce and even good events such as starting a new job or passing an exam can lead to depression.

6. Medications

Certain medicines can create issues in the brain's functioning and trigger depression. Some examples of this kind of medicine are interferon-alpha, the antiviral drug, isotretinoin, corticosteroids etc.

The risk factors of dysthymia and depression are common in nature. They are as follows,

• A close relationship with major depressive disorder or depression
• Stressful life, traumatic experiences
• Personality disorder
• Genetic disorder
• Humiliation and other social and behavioural issues, etc.

The diagnosis process of dysthymia and depression is quite the same nowadays. The process is called dual diagnosis concurrent treatment. Though the treatment is a counterpart of sequential treatment, it is more effective because it has a low relapse rate. Further, the diagnosis procedure involves a mental health question-answer session that should be aligned with the DSM-5 outline. 

The signs that indicate that you need a dysthymia and depression diagnosis are as follows,

• Depressed state for a maximum of a day
• Depressed state for more than 2 years
• Low energy level
• Frequent fatigue
• Low concentration
• Disruption in the sleep cycle, etc.

In addition, for MDD diagnosis, doctors may check if you have other severe conditions. Further, they will also ask you if you have faced mania or hypomania earlier.

1. Therapy for Depression

Your doctor can recommend two types of therapies, along with medication. These are as follows:

•  Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy or talk therapy is based on helping the patient with conversations. For this, a skilled psychiatrist will ask you about your mental state, personal history, behaviours, personal problems, goals and obligations, etc. Therefore, depending on your state, a psychiatrist will prescribe you medication or other solutions.

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

CBT is also a type of psychotherapy that finds the solution by analysing your moods and thoughts. Therefore, the therapy concentrates more on judging behaviour to get to the root cause of the disorder. According to the National Health Service, CBT needs only 20 sessions; however, you can continue it according to your requirements.

2. Medication

For treating dysthymia and depression, you will have anti-depressants such as -

• SSRIs or Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

These drugs increase the serotonin level in the brain, thus helping in depressive conditions. Examples of this type of drug are fluoxetine and sertraline. In addition, the drugs have lesser side effects.

• SNRIs or Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors

These drugs are also responsible for increasing serotonin levels, besides also increasing the level of norepinephrine. Therefore, this is sometimes considered a dual reuptake inhibitor. Examples of this drug are desvenlafaxine and levomilnacipran.

• TCA or Tricyclic Antidepressants

These are more advanced types of drugs with more side effects; however, they work more prominently. Examples of these drugs are amitriptyline, amoxapine, imipramine, etc.

Apart from medications and therapies, you can also follow some home remedies to get natural help with depression. Further, these can be maintained from the early stage to avoid costly treatments and adverse situations.

3. Home Remedies

The home remedies that you can follow are as follows -

• Set a Routine

Always try to keep yourself in a routine to avoid distraction. It will help you to stay focused and relieve you from mental stress.

• Exercise Regularly

Exercise is not only important for body strength, but it also brings the mind freshness. Further, it helps in secretion of beneficial chemicals such as endorphins. In addition, exercises boost brain functionality.

• Healthy Eating

Healthy eating naturally keeps your body toxin free and freshens up you from the core of your body. Depression is likely to cause an eating disorder that should be controlled with healthy eating.

• Sleep Properly

Less sleep worsens the depressive situation. Therefore, try to fulfil your sleep if you face a depressive state. It will help you to stay fresh and energetic.

• Explore New Things

If you are depressed, you must shift your focus from sad things to something new. You can try to learn new things and participate in new activities to stay dynamic and productive. Further, it will add extra energy and happiness to your daily routine.

PDD and MDD are both quite effective, and you may think this condition is for a lifetime. However, it is not true. Whenever you see any symptom of persistent depressive disorder, you should seek help from a medical professional. Further, if you don’t find yourself in the proper condition to visit a doctor, you can reach out to your near and dear ones who can guide you to necessary treatment.

The best way to prevent dysthymia and depression is to control your situation as much as possible. For this, you can follow the below-mentioned steps -

• Avoid alcohol and other drugs
• Take preventive measures to avoid excessive stress
• Opt for treatment as soon as you notice any symptom
• Seek help without any hesitation
• Treat the condition till it ends completely to avoid relapse symptoms
• Engage yourself in fun activities

Thus, the whole discussion brings out the idea of dysthymia vs depression and all the necessary information. Both are adverse and harm your regular activities. Therefore, you should not delay in opting for professional help. Further, the treatment and diagnosis processes of PDD and MDD are pretty similar and effective. For more assistance, you should contact a professional.