Dysthymic Mood Disorder Symptoms
Dysthymic mood disorder is a form of depression that continues to occur in a person’s life for an extended period of time; usually lasting years. Dysthymic mood disorder symptoms can significantly impact a person’s life in a negative manner and cause a person to pull away from loved ones and activities that make them happy.
Dysthymic mood disorder causes an individual to look negatively at life and will create feelings of sadness and loneliness in a person’s life.
A person suffering from dysthymic mood disorder may have any of the following symptoms every day for extended periods of time:
- Fatigue or low energy
- Increased sleep
- Persistent feelings of hopelessness and sadness
- Low self-esteem and poor self-image
- Pulling away from family and friends
- No appetite or increased appetite
Dysthymic mood disorder is not as intense as major depression but it is persistent and will linger in a person’s life until they seek out treatment for the illness. A person can do things to help them overcome the illness, but the majority of people have a hard time pushing themselves to take the extra step to help them conquer the disorder.
Treatment to help with Dysthymic Disorder Symptoms
Dysthymic disorder can significantly impact your life and your loved ones. Knowing the symptoms will help you get treatment you may need!
A person suffering from dysthymic disorder should see a psychiatrist and talk about their options for treatment. Medication is often prescribed to people who have dysthymic disorder and can be effective at reducing the symptoms for people, however there are other activities that people can do on their own in addition to taking their medication that may lessen the symptoms of the disorder.
According to www.nlm.nih.gov, doing any of the following things can help a person with dysthymic disorder symptoms,
- Get enough sleep
- Follow a healthy and nutritious diet
- Take medicines correctly and discuss any side effects with the psychiatrist or doctor that prescribed them
- Learn to watch for early signs that dysthymia is getting worse and have a plan for how to respond if it does
- Try to exercise regularly
- Participate in activities that are enjoyable and fun to do on a regular basis
- Express feelings and concerns with people that are trustworthy such as family and friends
- Surround themself with people who are caring and positive
- Avoid alcohol and illegal drugs because these can make an individual’s mood worse over time and impair their judgment.
In addition to medication and self-help treatment, a person burdened with dysthymic disorder should consider beginning therapy on a regular basis. Talking to a stranger, yet one that is trustworthy, such as a therapist, can provide a person with a safe and secure environment to express all of their feelings and emotions.
Psychotherapy can help a person achieve awareness of the causes that create their depressive moods and cognitive behavioral therapy can help a person become aware of the symptoms of the disorder as well as triggers that make their symptoms worse. All therapy will help a person to better understand the illness as well as the actions they can take to help them deal with dysthymic disorder symptoms. There are also support groups available to people who would like to speak with others who are going through the same hardships.
