dysthymia

noun

dys·​thy·​mia dis-ˈthī-mē-ə 

: a mood disorder characterized by chronic mildly depressed or irritable mood often accompanied by other symptoms (such as eating and sleeping disturbances, fatigue, and poor self-esteem)

called also dysthymic disorder

dysthymic

dis-ˈthī-mik 

adjective or noun

Examples of dysthymia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

It is categorized as a mental illness, on the low end of the spectrum of manic depressive illness, with dysthymia — its depressive equivalent — at the other end of the spectrum. —Gregg Martin, STAT, 31 Oct. 2021

Low grade depression or dysthymia can start to feel normal. —Ashley Stahl, Forbes, 13 Sep. 2021

In the second, at the opposite end of things, are people who already have a clinical diagnosis of major depressive disorder or a persistent version known as dysthymia. —James Hamblin, The Atlantic, 22 May 2020

Another person may have low-grade depressive symptoms that last a really long time, otherwise known as dysthymia. —Zee Krstic, Good Housekeeping, 23 Apr. 2020

There are several different forms of depression (like dysthymia, postpartum depression, or seasonal affective disorder), but major depressive disorder is typically the form that most people are familiar with. —D. Elizabeth, SELF, 24 Oct. 2018

Diagnoses like depression, dysthymia, seasonal affective disorder, and bipolar disorder all benefit from CBT, too. —Molly Burford, Allure, 16 Oct. 2019

Silverman explains that in the DSM-5, experts essentially collapsed two mood disorders—chronic major depressive disorder and dysthymia—into one: PDD. —Claire Gillespie, SELF, 19 Nov. 2018

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Word History

Etymology

probably borrowed from German Dysthymie, borrowed from Greek dysthȳmía "despondency, despair," from dýsthȳmos "despondent, melancholy" (from dys- dys- + ¬-thȳmos, adjective derivative of thȳmós "spirit, mind, courage") + -ia -ia entry 1 — more at fume entry 1

First Known Use

1844, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

dysthymia

noun

dys·​thy·​mia dis-ˈthī-mē-ə 

: a mood disorder characterized by chronic mildly depressed or irritable mood often accompanied by other symptoms (as eating and sleeping disturbances, fatigue, and poor self-esteem)

called also dysthymic disorder