Dysthymia, a depressive disorder that is often confused with reluctance

Mexico

Dysthymia is a chronic depressive disorder of little known and confused symptoms that are often confused with reluctance making diagnosis difficult, said Hiram Ortega, doctor of the National Institute of Psychiatry.

This condition, which affects 1.5 million people in Mexico, has the distinction of being a type of persistent depression ; that is to say that a person "every month for two years has had most days sadness and depression ", commented Ortega to Efe.

Some of the characteristics of this type of depression are: sad and irritable mood, low energy, fatigue, low self-esteem, constant stress, lack of concentration, feeling of hopelessness and sleep and appetite problems .

"If we see someone who suddenly has more energy, he stays in the house, wants to be alone or leaves very little and most of the time is irritable, we should be careful that he does not suffer from a dysthymic disorder, "warned the psychiatrist.

In patients with dysthymia, a high degree of neuroticism that generates little tolerance for frustration, very high demands and a rapid discouragement if they do not reach their goal.

However, suffering from dysthymia does not always generate a total dysfunction, the person is always reactive to certain stimuli that give him results. nice, like going out, living, playing video games or doing other activities to their liking.

"These are people who usually see them as angry, withdrawn, sad, some people or activities manage to get out or go to school. Upset, "said

And he added that although it seems that the patient with dysthymia "is fine", after a few hours, a day or two, to a state of lethargy, disinterest, fatigue, feeling of guilt, low self esteem and little energy.

Some of the factors that could trigger dysthymia are the temperament of the person, his family history. that, after a certain time, exceeds the capacity of the person.

The doctor said that although there is still no statistical data on a growth rate, the ratio of risk factors go forward with the current social demands could promote the increase of cases of disorder in the young population.

"At the global level there is a lot of competition, every time more schooling is required, young people face greater social pressure, so the hypothesis or what we can predict is that we are in the middle of the world. there is more dysthymia, "he said.

Therefore, "it is important to spread and be careful when a youth is like that" because it is often believed to be transient, "even as the patient to improve" nothing else has to give Wanted, "said the specialist.

Treatment of dysthymia can last a year or more, through psychotherapy or medications to restore symptoms, although there are people who could present them with new because of a genetic predisposition or alterations in the brain.

However, confusing the disorder and avoiding medical care could be serious for the patient because "when someone is already in dysthymia this means that he has so much Ortega said:

Frequently being in a state of sadness and irritability "is not normal", many people with depression problems to the patient " they believe that they are like this and sometimes even the person who suffers it "comes to believe it", finished Ortega.