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Dysthymia (or dysthymic disorder) is a chronic state of mild depression that lasts for years. It is believed to affect about 3 percent of the population at any time and thus is the most common form of depression.
In dysthymia, the mood never seems to quit for more than a day or two, draining all pleasure from life. Every couple of years it may vanish for a month or two, but it almost always returns.
Some people grow so used to being depressed that they think it is part and parcel of who they are rather than an illness that can be treated. Because symptoms are not as severe as in major depression, sufferers are better able to function in the short run. In the long run, however, because their symptoms are chronic, their relationships and work suffer.
