Posted by Elizabeth on April 17, 1999, at 23:35:19
In reply to Re: Difference between dysthymia and depression, posted by Sean on April 15, 1999, at 16:45:00
Sean, that was very well put. I've been following Dr. Akiskal's work too and expect it to have a great deal of utility (though I remain unconvinced by the "bipolar connection").
Dysthymia has been conceptualized as "depressive personality" (see appendix B of DSM-IV, for example). Given the often pejorative implication of a personality disorder label, I think this probably isn't useful. For now, at any rate, dysthymia is indeed considered a form of "clinical depression."
But anyway, I have a question - how do you tell the difference between double depression (dysthymia with superimposed episodes of major depression) and major depression without full interepisode recovery?
poster:Elizabeth
thread:4913
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19990401/msgs/5009.html