In recent years, the number of people suffering from various mental illnesses has been steadily increasing. Many of them are accompanied by depressive manifestations, weakness and decreased mood. These diseases are of varying severity. Minor depressive disorders include dysthymia. Sections in this article describe this condition in detail.
General information
Dysthymia is a mental disorder that has a chronic course and is manifested by such signs as a depressed emotional state without the presence of severe behavioral disorders and somatic pathologies. This is a mild form of depression.
With this pathology, patients feel sadness, unwillingness to do daily activities, do not feel pleasure, are often angry and gloomy. However, due to the absence of physical diseases, people with dysthymia can work and function relatively normally in society. Dysthymia is defined by specialists by signs such as low mood andapathy that has been present in the patient for two years. Psychiatrists also pay attention to the presence of insomnia, appetite disorders, increased fatigue, a feeling of weakness and a decrease in concentration. Such phenomena allow the doctor to diagnose dysthymia. This means that when a disease is detected, it is necessary to choose the right tactics of therapy. With this pathology, treatment should be comprehensive. It is advisable to apply an individual approach to each patient, depending on the conditions in which he lives.
Factors causing disease
Pathology occurs as a result of various causes - both external and internal. The main factors that trigger the mechanisms of the development of the disease include the following:
- Genetic predisposition. In families where there were cases of the disease, it can occur even in children of childhood. However, parents often confuse dysthymia with manifestations of the personal characteristics of their son or daughter.
- Impaired functioning of the brain (insufficient production of the hormone serotonin).
- Nervous strain, troubles at work, difficulties in personal relationships.
- Lack of sleep.
- Unbalanced diet.
- Unfavorable family environment, lack of parental attention or lack thereof (for minors).
- Personal characteristics (increased anxiety, vulnerability).
- Permanent physical and emotional overstrain (for example, in the military).
So, dysthymia is a mental disorder that occurs under the influence of various factors. Therefore, each case must be considered on an individual basis.
Who is most at risk of getting sick?
Most often this mental disorder begins to manifest itself in youth, sometimes it occurs in minors. However, there are such types of disease (for example, endoreactive dysthymia) that are observed in the elderly. As a rule, pathology manifests itself within two years and even for a longer time. A depressed emotional state is observed in patients for 2-3 months or more, and periods of improvement are short-lived. The younger the patient, the more pronounced his symptoms. Most patients with dysthymia suffer from other types of mental pathologies: schizophrenic or manic-depressive disorder, panic attacks, phobia, addiction to alcohol or drugs. However, in general, pronounced disorders of social adaptation are not typical for patients.
Dysthymia: symptoms of pathology
This disease is characterized by the following manifestations:
- Depressed emotional state.
- Inability to experience joy (only special situations cause happiness, ordinary life causes melancholy).
- Increased anxiety.
- Closedness.
- Excitability.
- Fears (fear of fatal diseases, accidents, failures, poverty).
- Tears.
- Feeling worthless.
- Dissatisfaction with one's personality, surroundings, life in general.
- The constant expectation of unpleasant events.
- Fatigue, cognitive decline.
- Lack of vigor and ability to make decisions.
- Sleep disorders.
- Decrease or increase in appetite.
- Weight loss or weight gain.
These are common signs of this mental disorder. However, dysthymia is a disease that is divided into several types.
Forms of pathology
There is primary and secondary dysthymia. The first type arises on its own. The second appears in connection with other mental disorders. The cause of dysthymia can be diseases of any organs and systems, as well as stressful situations. According to the signs that appear against the background of the disease, dysthymia is divided into somatized and characterological. These types of pathology are discussed in detail in the following sections of the article.
Somatized dysthymia
This type of disease is characterized by the fact that a person constantly notices signs of pathologies of various organs. For example, he may complain of pain in the heart, stomach and intestines. There may be an acceleration of heart rate, constipation, respiratory disorders, sensitive and restless sleep. A person begins to fear for his he alth. There may be fears about the appearance of serious diseases. Many patients diagnosed with "somatized dysthymia" experience fear of oncological pathologies, developmentheart attacks, strokes, and so on. They constantly listen to their body, worry and despair about their own he alth. This type of pathology resembles hypochondria.
Characterological dysthymia
This form of mental disorder is characterized by the constant presence of a pessimistic mood. Patients do not get satisfaction from everyday events, they feel sad all the time.
Earlier, these characteristics were considered personality manifestations. Today, mental he alth professionals are not convinced of the correctness of this view. Psychiatrists believe that constant pessimism indicates the presence of dysthymia. It should be added that, in addition to depression, the condition of such patients is characterized by periodic statements about the hopelessness of life, their own uselessness. Patients look lethargic, sad, apathetic, they take even minor troubles to heart. Such people grumble all the time, they are dissatisfied with their surroundings, they are not critical of their own condition, they tend to blame others for all troubles. Because of this behavior, even family and friends who used to empathize with the sick eventually begin to shun them.
Dysthymia in a child
Sometimes the causes that trigger the mechanism of the disease appear in childhood. The psychological climate in the family where the child is brought up is of great importance. If the relationship between the parents is hostile, they constantly quarrel - this can provoke the development of a mental disorder in children. Whenthe joyful mood of a son or daughter is condemned, they are forced to hide it. As a result, the child becomes lethargic, unlearning to enjoy the things that made him happy before. What disorders are typical for dysthymia in childhood? How to recognize the disease? First of all, a wake-up call for parents should be that the child constantly looks sad.
Suspiciously, if he seems tired all the time, his social circle has narrowed, there are no manifestations of joy from gifts and delicacies that previously caused pleasant emotions.
Diagnosis of dysthymia and treatment of pathology
In order to prescribe adequate therapy, the doctor must determine exactly what disease is present in the patient. The difficulty in diagnosing dysthymia lies in the fact that its signs are similar to those of other mental disorders, and patients are often uncritical about their condition. They often refuse to seek medical help, believing that the unpleasant symptoms will soon pass. For those who still decide to consult a doctor about their condition, a psychiatrist conducts a special diagnosis. It is based on the following criteria:
- Interrogation of the patient and conversation with him.
- Identification of the totality of signs of dysthymia present in the patient.
- Presence of characteristic pathological phenomena for two or more years.
- Signs of dysthymia in the absence of symptoms of other mental disorders.
In order to identify this disease,doctors also do testing. When making a diagnosis, the psychiatrist pays attention to such manifestations as:
- Increased or no appetite.
- Sleep disorders.
- Not getting positive emotions from things that used to make a person happy.
- Feeling hopeless.
- Inadequately low self-assessment.
- Continuous presence of symptoms for two years, little or no improvement.
- Bouts of anger (usually in people of adolescence).
The presence of most of the above signs gives grounds for the diagnosis of "dysthymia". Treatment of the disease, as a rule, does not involve placing the patient in a hospital. The exception is situations when the symptoms of pathology prevent a person from living a normal life.
How to treat dysthymia?
To combat the symptoms of pathology, doctors recommend drug therapy. As a rule, the patient is prescribed antidepressants that increase the production of serotonin. Most drugs that are used today do not cause serious side effects. In order to achieve tangible results, medications must be taken for about six months. To combat increased excitability and insomnia, sedatives are recommended. An important role in the treatment of dysthymia is played by a visit to a psychotherapist. These can be individual, group or family sessions. Psychotherapeutic techniques allow the patient to better adapt tosociety, solve problems in relationships with others, cope with stress.
Pathology prevention
Unfortunately, the answer to the question of whether dysthymia is completely treated is negative. Therapy is usually long, and recovery is rarely one hundred percent. The disease provokes many difficulties in work and in personal life. Patients are often prone to suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts. Is it possible to prevent the occurrence of such a mental disorder? The answer to this question is yes, provided that the person follows these guidelines:
- You need to have hobbies and devote enough time to them.
- Sleep and get enough rest should be observed.
- It is important to try to establish contact with relatives and friends, to maintain social ties.
- You need to lead a he althy lifestyle, give up addictions, do not neglect sports.
- Eat well and regularly.
- You need to develop a positive mindset.
- You should discuss your problems with family, friends, or a therapist.
Compliance with such preventive measures will allow a person to protect himself from the occurrence of such mental disorders as dysthymia.
