Does anyone here suffer from Dysthymia?

[Locut0s]

For those who don't know:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dysthymia

Basically it's constant unrelenting low grade depression, often punctuated with episodes of extreme depression. What separates it from normal clinical depression is that Dysthymia tends not to lift. Usually people with regular clinical depression have episodes of extreme depression that last some months after which they return to a relatively normal emotional balance. People with Dysthymia basically never return to an even emotional balance, they are always depressed.

Looking back on my life I'm pretty sure I suffer from it. I've been diagnosed with Depression and social anxiety but never specifically Dysthymia. I can't remember a solid chunk of my life more than 3 years long during which I was not either depressed or seriously anxious (I'm 30 now). In some respects it has completely ruined my life, though compared to many I have never (or perhaps I should say yet to) hit rock bottom.

What is your experience with Dysthymia, if any?

[TexasTowelie]

2. I never heard of it before but I also think I might have it. n/t

[JoeyT]

3. I'm not actually sure.

Last thing I was diagnosed as was bipolar disorder, but the manias were only ever caused by being on too high doses of anti-depressants. Without the ADs I don't actually ever have manias. It's mostly long periods of low grade depression with the occasional burst of "normal" and very infrequent complete mental shutdown depressions. With the correct dosage of the right AD, it's long periods of "normal" with very short periods of very minor low grade depression. With the wrong/too much ADs it was short periods of kind of hyped up alternating with short periods of absolutely insane manias.

I'm iffy about going back for an accurate diagnosis because the meds are working ok, and everyone I've ever been to was a big fan of "I've decided you're something else now, now let's see what THIS does to you!". I just keep going back and getting the same prescription with a "No, you were absolutely right last time. Works like a charm!" There's also a PTSD diagnosis that kind of complicates a diagnosis of any other problems. I was given a benzo for that, and it helps with the social anxiety component of whatever it is I actually have. So right medicines, probably wrong reason for one of them, but I've learned to take what I can get.

My mother was also diagnosed with dysthymia, as was her mother before her. So it's probably the right one.

FWIW: My mother is on low doses of a pair of anti-depressants that have completely changed her life. So about the best thing I can say about it is that there is hope for a diagnosis of dysthymia.

[Still Blue in PDX]

4. I haven't been diagnosed with it but suspect I have it.

I've had depression as long as I can remember. I don't know what "normal" is, but I'm pretty sure it's not a state I've ever actually been in except for a period of time when I was in high school and was on an extended fast that nowadays (or if my mom would have taken me to a doctor) would probably be called anorexia. I felt great!

I have social anxiety, too.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

5. maybe.....

Hadnt heard of this and didn't realize Clinical depression supposedly lifts after some time. I thought situational depression lifts.

Hmmmmm. Learned something.