Dysthymia is defined as a persistent state of mild depression in which an individual can find no joy or even mild amusement in life. It is characterized by the feeling that the afflicted individual has been miserable for much if not all of their life, finding nothing to grow excited or even mildly enthusiastic about. Those who suffer through this mild form of depression tend to be withdrawn, moody, and even prone to becoming antisocial. Overall this disorder is akin to being uncomfortable with the act of living.
This type of disorder can be persistent for years without going treated, and is often more prevalent in women than in men (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). In adults the diagnosis is typically given when they have been noted to display the same level of depression for roughly two years. In children the duration required is only a year. It is often quite common that this illness goes unnoticed for long periods of time as it is far less severe than other forms of depression, and is often written off as a personality trait.
Early treatment can help individuals avoid difficulties and increasingly more difficult disorders later in life. Living with such disorders as dysthymia can lead to worsening depression and a tendency to engage in high-risk behaviors. Typically those who live with this disorder will put off receiving treatment, in which case they will continue to live in constant state of depression that can lead to other, more harmful behaviors. By first admitting to having the disorder and then consenting to treatment an individual can gain the help they need and alleviate their stress in a manner that is both helpful and productive.
A relatively small number of individuals share this disorder, and even fewer continue to
live with it throughout their lifetime. It is a disorder that can be developed by those who have
lived with individuals who have suffered through the effects, and in fact those who have
experienced life with another person who has gone through dysthymia are more likely to develop the disorder. Typically an individual will develop the disorder during their childhood and up to early adulthood. While many people suffer through some form of depression, the likelihood of experiencing worse forms of depression after having dealt with dysthymia increases significantly.
It is not unknown for those who suffer through disorder to be dependent upon one substance or another in order to combat their despondency. The disorder can seriously inhibit interpersonal relationships with others and as a result can cause even worse depression and anxiety. In attempting to deal with the world outside their own personal sphere of influence individuals that experience dysthymia may very well display self-destructive and antisocial tendencies as a defense mechanism, as well as a call for attention. Without any concrete reason to feel good about themselves or to become enthused about the world around them, those who suffer through this disorder will often turn towards anything that might elicit some type of feeling or emotion that would otherwise elude them.
It is unfortunate that the etiology of this disorder is largely unknown, as it is often allowed to go on for years at a time without anyone reporting the symptoms that associated with its onset (Griffiths, Ravindran, Merali, & Anisman, 2000). Like many depressive orders it is easy enough to spot from the behaviors it causes in those who suffer from the disorder, but other than this the cause of the disorder is mostly theory that contains little if any hard fact on its cause. There are studies and hints of what might cause dysthymia, but to date they are suggested causes, not proven reasons why the disorder affects certain people and not others.
Thankfully dysthymia is treatable just as other levels of depression are, with medication
and cognitive-therapy (Ravindran, Anisman, Merali, Charbonneau, Telner, Bialik, Wiens, Ellis,
& Griffiths, 1999). While there are minor differences between the effects of medication and therapy it is typically up to the individual to decide which is more effective, or in the case of children such a decision will fall to the parents. Therapy does not alleviate the clinical symptoms, but it does augment the medication that is prescribed to patients. Through this method it is possible to counter the functional impairments that dysthymia can cause.
A good example of dysthymia and what it can do to a person’s life is displayed in the film The Weatherman, starring Nicolas Cage. Playing the role of David Spritz, a forecaster for a Chicago newsroom, Cage displays the chronic symptoms of dysthymia in that he is constantly unhappy and unsure of what can be done to alter his situation (The Weatherman, 2005). While everyone around him is attempting to make their lives better he instead slogs through a life that he feels is utterly hopeless and without joy. Near the end of the film however he has come to grips with his life and at least begun to make a difference.
In the case of David Spritz it can be argued that he is in fact suffering through dysthymia, but it has only recently become a condition that others have noticed. It could also be argued that he suffers from the disorder considering that he is divorced and has trouble dealing with his ex-wife, her boyfriend, his two children, and his own father. None of these relationships seems to bring him any happiness or even peace of mind, as his father is considered by some to be a negative influence upon his life that only makes matters worse (Durand & Barlow, 2015). More the point his job brings him no joy either, as he pushes through his day with the same effort he gives his life.
Spritz is what many would call apathetic in that he accepts his life as it is and does not
strive for greater heights. He is verbally abused and even physically assaulted within the movie
but does nothing to show that he even feels the effect of said abuse. Instead he continues on in
his plodding, non-feeling way, never bothering to react to the world around him save when he
needs to. He describes himself as the type of person that could have been anybody, until one day when the options he had left to him were used up and the person that was left was all he had.
This describes a person without ambition, not necessarily a person suffering from dysthymia, though the supposed symptoms are present. In his reactions or lack thereof David Spritz shows a state of depression that is not manic or so low that he cannot even function, but instead impairs him emotionally and psychologically. The case for dysthymia is only made stronger when he goes into description about his average day and what it is like to be a weatherman, and the constant berating he must endure. His lack of reaction to such treatment is just further proof that he does indeed suffer from this disorder, though it is still not conclusive.
What truly makes the point for David having the disorder is how he reacts to stressful times in his life such as son being propositioned for a sexual act by a school counselor. After an all-night drinking binge followed by a job interview the next day, David travels to the counselor’s home and assaults the man. He also assaults his ex-wife’s boyfriend for the manner in which he deals with his son’s predicament. This shows that he at least responsive to the issues in his life, but not at all balanced. Treatment for David comes in a very unusual way however as finds his sense of calm and relaxation in archery, a hobby that affords him a small measure of respect as at the end of the film he takes to walking around town with a bow over his shoulder.
While David Spritz’s form of meditative therapy is useful to some it is not the suggested
method of therapy for a good many people, as it is literally putting a weapon into the hands of a
person attempting to deal depression. This is not optimal in the case of many individuals, but
seems to work for the character in the film. Typically treatment involves medication and some
type of therapy, in the case of dysthymia it is common to see psychotherapy, which has been
shown to alleviate symptoms and help patients adjust to medication (Griffiths, Ravindran, Merali & Anisman, 2000).
Regarding the film there was no easily visible treatment that alleviated David’s depression, though psychotherapy and medication might have only worsened his mood and his outlook upon his life. In truth the only real treatment that seemed to work for David was the constant presence of his father, who did not so much act as a negative influence as he did David’s continual conscience, always attempting to break his son out of his depression in a manner that was not entirely effective, but was an attempt to talk through the disorder. In the end David found an outlet that allowed him to express himself and gain a measure of peace in his life, but again, it is not a recommended type of therapy.
Dysthymia is a very little-known form of depression that strikes many people in childhood as well as in their adult years, and is very difficult to detect as it can be confused as other disorders quite easily (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Its general symptoms include a sense of hopelessness and a lack of any motivation in the life of the affected individual. As a state of depression it is very mild in its effects, but it can cause a higher probability of major depression if left untreated. Those who suffer through this disorder tend to be more withdrawn and less capable of interacting with anyone. Those who suffer through this disorder are generally unhappy, moody, and can even be prone to antisocial attitudes and even self-destructive tendencies.
Though it affects only a fairly small number of people throughout the world, dysthymia is a very serious disorder. Left untreated it can become a case of major depression. With treatment however it becomes less of a risk. Unlike The Weatherman however, archery is not the first recommendation of most therapists.
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental
disorders:DSM-5. Washington, D.C: American Psychiatric Association.
Black, T. (Producer), & Verbinksi, G. (Director). (2005). The Weatherman [Motion picture].
USA: Paramount Pictures.
Durand, V.M. & Barlow, D.H. (2015). Essentials of Abnormal Psychology (7th Ed.). Belmont,
CA: Wadsworth Publishing.
Griffiths, J.; Ravindran, A.V.; Merali, Z. & Anisman, H. (2000). Dysthymia: a review of
pharmacological and behavioral factors. Molecular Psychiatry, 5: 242-261.
Ravindran, A.V. et al. (1999). Treatment of Primary Dysthymia With Group Cognitive Therapy
and Pharmacotherapy: Clinical Symptoms and Functional Impairments. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 156(10): 1608-1617.
