PERSISTENT DEPRESSIVE DISORDER (PDD)
A persistent depressive disorder is a long term form of depression.
- Also known and dysthymia, persistent depressive disorder is less severe than major depression but more serious and is longer-lasting in duration.
- A persistent depressive disorder is characterized by a continuous feeling of hopelessness and sadness.
- These feelings might make you lose interest in normal daily activities, feel inadequate, lack productivity, and have an overall feeling of low self-esteem.
- A persistent depressive disorder may significantly interfere with your daily activities, relationships, work, and school.
- The disorder may begin in childhood, adolescence, and even adulthood, and is common in females than males.
- PDD may also occur alongside some physical illness or another psychotic disorder such as drug addiction, alcoholism, anxiety disorder.
- Sometimes double depression may occur, this occurs when a person experiences major depressive episodes on top of the already existing PDD condition.
- When symptoms appear before 21 years of age, they are diagnosed as early-onset while symptoms appearing after 21 years of age are diagnosed as late-onset.
CAUSES
The exact cause of persistent depressive disorder is not known. As with other psychological disorder, it may involve a combination of genetic traits and traumatic events.
Risk factors:
- Having a first degree relative with the disorder. The rate of depression in families of people with PDD is as high as 50% for the early-onset of the disorder.
- Traumatic or stressful events, such as financial problems or death of a loved one.
- Lack of social support
SYMPTOMS
- Sleep problems
- Loss of interest in daily activities
- Overeating or poor eating
- Low energy or fatigue
- Persistent feeling of hopelessness or sadness
- A negative attitude
- A low self-esteem
- Difficulty concentrating
- Decreased productivity
- Avoidance of social activities
- A lack of interest in social activities
Children and teen with the disorder may be irritable, moody, have poor performance at school, display behavioral problems, have difficulty interacting with other children in social situations.
DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
If the doctor suspects that persistent depressive disorder is present, the doctor will perform a comprehensive medical history and physical examination.
The doctor will perform a physical examination as well as ask questions about your health. This will help determine what may be causing your depression. In some cases, it may be linked to underlying physical illness.
Lab tests may also be ordered to rule out other conditions that may be causing depressive symptoms.
A psychological evaluation may follow. Here, mental health professionals use clinical interviewing and assessment tools to evaluate a person for PDD.
The main indication for diagnosis in adults and children differ.
For adults to be diagnosed, they must experience a depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, for two or more years.
For children or teens to be diagnosed, they must experience a depressed mood or irritability most of the day, nearly every day, for at least one years.
TREATMENT
The main treatment for the condition are medications and talk therapy.
The major medications used are antidepressants such as tricyclic antidepressants, serotonin, and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
Talk therapy especially cognitive behavioral therapy may help. This therapy will allow you to identify negative behavior and belief and replace them with healthy ones, find better ways to cope and solve problems, adjust to a crisis and current difficulty, and develop healthy interactions with others.