Definitions of Mood Disorders - Dysthymia

Definitions of Mood Disorders - Dysthymia is a mental illness that is characterized by chronic feelings of depression and malaise.

To meet the DSM-IV criteria for dysthymia, a patient must present a depressed mood on most days for at least two consecutive years. For teens and children, patients must present a depressed or irritable mood for at least one year.

The patient must not be without depressive symptoms for more than two months to be diagnosed as dysthymic. Sufferers also cannot report any manic or mixed episodes over their lifetimes to meet criteria for dysthymia.

Symptoms of dysthymia include low self-image, changes in appetite (eating too much or too little), difficulty concentrating or making decisions, sleeping too much or too little, and persistent feelings of hopelessness.