Guest guest Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 Very interesting. I would say I definitely had this from early childhood on, and then it became major depression for the first time in 1990. The depression symptoms I've seen in my youngest daughter who is now 14, but back when she was 8, 9, 10, she had these milder symptoms. Because of my awareness of the signs, I got her doctor to put her on anti-depressants, got her counseling, and eventually it led to the diagnosis of pediatric FM. I'm happy to report that she's having a great year in school and currently not on any meds. The crapola will probably hit the fan again sometime in the future, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Enough cliches. Jeanne in WI What Is Depression? What Is Dysthymia? Mental health professionals use the term dysthymia (dis-THIGH-me-ah) to refer to a low-level drone of depression that lasts for at least two years in adults or one year in children and teens. While not as crippling as major depression, its persistent hold can keep you from feeling good and can intrude upon your work, school, and social life. If you were to equate depression with the color black, dysthymia might be likened to a dim gray. Unlike major depression, in which relatively short episodes may be separated by considerable spans of time, dysthymia lasts for an average of at least five years. If you suffer from dysthymia, more often than not you feel depressed during most of the day. You may carry out daily responsibilities, but much of the zest is gone from your life. Your depressed mood doesn't lift for more than two months at a time, and you also have at least two of the following symptoms: overeating or loss of appetite insomnia or sleeping too much tiredness or lack of energy low self-esteem trouble concentrating or making decisions hopelessness. Sometimes an episode of major depression occurs on top of dysthymia; this is known as double depression. Dysthymia often begins in childhood, the teen years, or early adulthood. Being drawn into this low-level depression appears to make major depression more likely. In fact, up to 75% of people who are diagnosed with dysthymia will have an episode of major depression within five years. It's difficult to escape the grasp of untreated dysthymia. Only about 10% of people spontaneously emerge from it in a given year. Some appear to get beyond it for as long as two months, only to spiral downward again. However, proper treatment eases dysthymia and other depressive disorders in about four out of five people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 > a low-level drone of depression that lasts for at least two years > in adults or one year in children and teens. Hah. I don't mess around with this low-level drone stuff! I go right for the hard-core major depression! Other people have bad days; I've had bad decades! I don't need no steenkin' dysthmia! ;D ;D Z (hope everyone's having a flare-free day)(company coming today)(warm spinach and artichoke dip and scalloped oysters, and a fire in the fireplace!)(and my rugs are clean!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 Me too Zimmy. It's hard core all the way and I take 40mg of Prozac a day. Each event in my life seems ever so stressful lately. I cry at the drop of a hat. I'm finally starting to face my insecurities and boy thats not easy. Have a good evening. Little from Vegas LINDA --------------------------------- Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 10, 2008 Report Share Posted February 10, 2008 Jeanne that is great news on your daughter! I'll cross my fingers she doesn't progress at all! Jeanne and Dave wrote: > Very interesting. I would say I definitely had this from early childhood > on, and then it became major depression for the first time in 1990. The > depression symptoms I've seen in my youngest daughter who is now 14, but > back when she was 8, 9, 10, she had these milder symptoms. > Because of my awareness of the signs, I got her doctor to put her on > anti-depressants, got her counseling, and eventually it led to the diagnosis > of pediatric FM. I'm happy to report that she's having a great year in > school and currently not on any meds. The crapola will probably hit the fan > again sometime in the future, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. > Enough cliches. > Jeanne in WI > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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