topic Sad all the time? Dysthymia in Depression

Sad all the time? Dysthymia

white knight — Sat, 08 Apr 2017 14:08:43 GMT

It's difficult to describe but if you see and feel sadness in most things in life you could have dysthymia. Constant, uncontrollable crying, thinking often about sad topics.

A proper diagnosis is needed. This illness generally develops prior to adulthood and can be described as a constant low mood depression. You can google "dysthymia mood disorder" to receive a full description.

The disorder makes one feel alone, desperate and unusual. I have a friend I went to school with, he never cried in 35 years I knew him until his father died. He was uncontrollable that funeral day. The next day we chatted. I mentioned that his state the day before was how I felt every second day. He got some idea of the magnitude. Soon after I got the diagnosis

Bipolar2, depression, anxiety and...dysthymia. my psychiatrist discovered that a near drowning of my brother when I was 12yo was the spark, the shock that set it off. I didnt talk for 3 months after that incident and was highly emotional ever since until 2009 when he prescribed medication.

Since then my life has turned around in terms of sadness. If you believe your level of sadness is high, constant and you feel desperate, even suicidal, you might have dysthymia. It effects more women than men, can come about if you have a parent with a mental illness or if you suffered trauma at a young age.

Seek help. The difference to your life will be much more positive.

Tony WK

Sad all the time? Dysthymia

Fairywings — Sat, 08 Apr 2017 15:24:26 GMT

Well done Tony you couldn't be more accurate with how it is. Very well written and will def help others on here xx Venessa

Sad all the time? Dysthymia

73Bonneville — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 11:59:27 GMT

I think this describes how I have been feeling the last couple of years.

This is my first post and I am glad I have found this forum. I am hoping it will help me and maybe what I describe will help others.

I have managed to live with depression with professional help and medication (which I am now slowly reducing) for some time. But the last few years I feel extremely sad and will start to cry if I think about the past. In particular our kids growing up, leaving school, doing their own thing.

When our eldest left high school I was upset for a long time. Our youngest is now in year 12 and I am already sad thinking about her moving on to university. I don't handle change very well and think that everything will stay the same forever. But it doesn't. It never seemed to bother me much in the past, it's only the last couple of years. Another example: we've been going to the same holiday place as a family for years, and just the idea that we will not be doing that anymore will get me down for days on end. And then I feel guilty because it seems so silly to be sad and cry about trivial things like that. Except they are not trivial to me. I don't want to feel this sad everything something changes, at the moment I am looking at techniques to replace the sad feelings with happy ones, but this is not working out yet.

Sad all the time? Dysthymia

white knight — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 12:46:25 GMT

Hi 73, welcome

I'm humbled you have seen one of my threads and identified it to your own sadness.

We are sufferers here that cant diagnose but knowledge of my own illnesses like dysthymia and others that cause such distress like melancholy depression for example that it opens doors to people like you. This raises reason why you are how you are.

Dear 73, you are the very type of person I focus on to help. The reason I'm here writing such threads is to convey to you how different your life can be once effective treatment has been obtained.

"Effective treatment " in several ways- Visit to your GP, treatment from recommended professionals, forum involvement and much reading and many questions, family support, diet and exercise and so on.

So, I've walked these paths and climbed the hurdles of sadness so devastating it was life threatening. ..and made it.

What is "made it". Its when you see events more realistically and logically. When you no longer in the first instance feel emotion instead of reflection, hurt instead of defense. Its a very different frame of mind.

Treat yourself and your family with some professional care.

Post anytime. We are here for you.

Tony WK

Sad all the time? Dysthymia

demonblaster — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 06:43:05 GMT

Hey Knight 🙂

What an awful way to feel, sorry you do.

I've heard or read actually about dysthymia that can occur in BP (bipolar) too.
It sounds similar to depression but if it was I'm guessing it wouldn't have a separate name.

I've often in BP apart from cyring in depression that you'd know about often had times like you were saying in op about crying all the time. Can't stop aye.
It's a stress release but exhausting in itself isn't it. I said once on different type of forums I feel wrecked after crying apart from the emotional side which is understandable someone replied saying there's a hormone or ? that's discreted in tears which makes ya feel worn out.

What an ordeal with your brother, terrible thing to go through.

Do you see a psych at all?

You've a lot to cope with Knight I read with BP research that type 2 has more depression than type 1. I've been diagnosed as both 1 & 2. (think moreso 2 ).

Do you have days when you're feeling ok, or periods of the day?

I truly believe we can make a huge dent in depression Knight, gotta keep thinking about how & applying. Everything great on paper aye

Thanks for the info you've put up

Take care

Sad all the time? Dysthymia

white knight — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 07:39:15 GMT

Hi DB

My full diagnosis is bp2, depression, dysthymia and anxiety. The anxiety I've licked, its gone.

With correct meds and some maturity with my emotions my dysthymia has drifted but it return occasionally. So I'm feeling much better than say 10 years ago.

It was like emotionally I was immature. At 20yo I was emotionally say 10. At 40 I was say 15. Now 61 I've caught up.

With several illnesses its hard to know what illness causes what but I'm getting there.

Thanks for replying Demon

Tony WK

Sad all the time? Dysthymia

demonblaster — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 07:50:04 GMT

yw Knight 🙂

Yeah I read in op your other stuff as well, as if one wasn't hard enough aye 🙂

Know what you mean about with maturity emotions become more manageable as we learn & grow, the one thing about ageing I can see as a good.

Fantastic the dsythymia has backed off (still pops in, that's not the fantastic part lol) that could be down to you learning to deal with emotions & as you said more maturity too.

We're at our worst mentally or physically ill, sounds like you've certainly got a lot on your plate.

Glad you're talking too, thankyou for what you do here for others 🙂

Sad all the time? Dysthymia

demonblaster — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 08:30:51 GMT

Hi 73 & all 🙂

You love your children 🙂 safe bet those feelings are common darl.
Change for many is unsettling. I don't mind it. Stimulating but yeah same's comforting & secure I guess

They're not trivial complaints, it's stuff that pulls you down, this is where we can let it out. Get help support, no judgement. Really good place well run. So vent away 🙂

Yeah when we're depressed it's hard to see good. Dark heavy blanket over our heads & body

My goal is to learn how to work through depression, I'm BP (Bipolar 1 & 2) to control emotions I think every person needs to & gain full confidence.

If we like ourselves, have to be major for confidence aye. Backing ourselves.

Our entire time here's with our own heads, every second

Depression makes us believe we're no good. WRONG! ... believe in something....half way there.
Knight as fairy said that was a VERY well written post. Thanks 🙂

Our turn for control peeps

Cyaz

Sad all the time? Dysthymia

white knight — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 09:27:52 GMT

Hi DB

Thanks for that.

Any following links can be googled.

I've found that to reduce the effects of my depression and even some bipolar issues is a multi pronged approach.

Topic: be radical- beyondblue

That thread us to all the sufferers out there that are too scared to make a move.

Then there is when not to fight your depression

Topic: the timing of motivation- beyondblue

And getting it all in perspective so we can accept our illness

Topic: depression, a ship on the high seas- beyondblue

Yes, its a great forum here, its depth of threads are amazing.

Thanks for your interest

Tony WK

Sad all the time? Dysthymia

73Bonneville — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 22:42:15 GMT

Thanks for all the replies. Melancholy depression, I like that description, I'll have to read up on it more.

I never had this in the past, just some mild depression and anxiety. Some people I talk to can't wait for their kids to move out. I get upset if there is a day we don't have dinner together as a family. I will keep reading these forums and try to post if I see something relevant or some advice I can provide based on my experiences. I am not the best communicator, signing up for these forums is already a big step forward for me.

Cheers all.

Sad all the time? Dysthymia

LC80 — Wed, 28 Jun 2017 00:44:18 GMT

Just a little of my background and please don't think I am just being "look at me". I am accused of that enough. I can relate to your situation as I have lived with ongoing grief and depression for many years. I am a retiree now and due to health issues all my plans for an enjoyable future are out the window. Each day a little bit of me dies. My catalyst was the death of my brother when he was just 16 years old. I was only 19 years old and already coping with being a father way too young. Just a few years later my beloved Grandfather died suddenly and then a couple of years later I lost my Dad to cancer. I turned into a very angry young man and it cost me a wife and my daughters. It's funny that we are the same age and your mention of emotional immaturity resonates with me. I have never really wanted to grow up. I have alienated plenty of people over the years and now I have no choice as I see it. Unless people walk the walk it is very difficult for them to understand what we going through.

Sad all the time? Dysthymia

white knight — Wed, 28 Jun 2017 01:09:09 GMT

Hi 83. You ate doing great here. No judging at all in this forum. This is a place of comfort.

Hi LC80

Spot on. Let me explain. When I got my dysthymia diagnosis my psych questioned me at length about my childhood. He kept asking what trauma occured to me. A few times I denied anything happened. Then my wife said "your brother in the swimming pool".

I explained that my older brother was a diabetic and we were swimming in an above ground pool when he had a fit. I managed to lift him over the edge, he fell on the ground and came to, to stagger to the house where he was given jam.

In shock I never spoke a word for 3 months. I was 12yo.

My psych said "that is the reason you have dysthymia"

So, it can be in line with trauma LC80. Your young age trauma could easily be connected.

This is the benefit of forums as long as we are aware that diagnosis and circumstances are different for everyone and we should always get professional help with it, it is still beneficial to discuss it.

Thankyou 73 and LC80 for being here.

Tony WK

Sad all the time? Dysthymia

LC80 — Wed, 28 Jun 2017 01:49:58 GMT

WK, My younger brother went out swimming with some friends at a lake on the 29/02/1976 here in Sydney and drowned. It was just an accident. He was a very fit football paying teenager, and he never came home. He was only 16 years old. My Mum and Dad were shattered and got a lot of support from extended family, but I got very little. Even as I type this I can feel the emotion coming up. I now know that he is still well remembered by his school friends and that is a comfort. Going through life without him has always been hard and the trauma of losing him has manifested itself in me many ways. I am ashamed of how I have treated people close to me and I have paid the price by them cutting off all contact. I won the lottery of life with my second wife as she has stuck with me.

Sad all the time? Dysthymia

demonblaster — Wed, 28 Jun 2017 04:45:31 GMT

Heart goes out to yaz

Listening

Sad all the time? Dysthymia

A2 — Wed, 28 Jun 2017 05:14:45 GMT

Hello everyone

This is my first post here - or anywhere (on the internet) for that matter. Reading your posts and replies brings a level of comfort, knowing I am not alone. I've been struggling since I was a child (and after reading these posts I realise a sexual assault when I was 10 is the root cause) and now in my late 40s, the last decade have been especially difficult. But medication, professional help and gallows humour keeps things manageable - most of the time. Being dysthymic (I'm an academic and like to make fancy words sound even fancier), I find that my profession adds to the overall burden. The past 10 or so days have been especially hard, after a reasonable spell of good emotions. Tears are close to the surface or bubbling over, everyday is just plain hard work, and knowing that there is no rhyme nor reason for these feelings is sometimes the hardest part. I don't choose to feel this way. My thoughts are with you all and hope that you find comfort where and when you needed.

Sad all the time? Dysthymia

white knight — Wed, 28 Jun 2017 06:27:05 GMT

LC80

Re: "I am ashamed of how I have treated people close to me and I have paid the price by them cutting off all contact"

I believe there is a reason for everything and everyones behaviour.

People might treat others poorly for a variety of reasons....immaturity, jealousy, anger management issues, money, depression etc.

Once the cause has been realised then should follow apology. If thats not accepted...move on. In many instances the refusal to accept an apology is far worse that the ill deed in the first place.

Keep you dignity intact, remove the erosion of guilt and find new friends. Drop off the nasty and the ones that dont flex.

Leave them to themselves.

Tony WK

Sad all the time? Dysthymia

demonblaster — Wed, 28 Jun 2017 09:36:13 GMT

Good for you DR 🙂

Glad you're finding some comfort here, sure is a good place to be and be able to shed without judgement.

Yeah it's horrid being in a miserable state of mind constantly isn't it.

Let the tears roll darl, it's an outlet, exhausting yes but so is being so low.

Sorry you've had to go through such horrid ordeals.

Hope to see you here again 🙂

Knight I believe too there's a reason for everything. I like to know why, then comes understanding and maybe solutions.

Ok you to DR hope yous find comfort somewhere along the way.

Let's get on top of this rot, I reckon it's in us

Sleep well all

Sad all the time? Dysthymia

white knight — Wed, 28 Jun 2017 22:34:55 GMT

Hi Dr AC

Sorry, I missed your post.

As I mentioned earlier, my emotions are in check now due to meds and therapy.

That feeling of tears near the surface is a feeling of fragility. Its also responsible for my poetry album and I can only write my poems when in that dysthymic state.

Losing my dysthymia after 4 decades was like losing a limb, it had become such a part of me. But it was also hindering me, my happiness, overall its unhealthy.

Im glad you dont feel alone Dr AC. There is hope in treatment. I hope you find the care you need.

Tony WK

Sad all the time? Dysthymia

LC80 — Thu, 29 Jun 2017 00:41:32 GMT

Tony WK "Once the cause has been realised then should follow apology. If that's not accepted...move on. In many instances the refusal to accept an apology is far worse that the ill deed in the first place.Keep you dignity intact, remove the erosion of guilt and find new friends. Drop off the nasty and the ones that don't flex.Leave them to themselves."

I have ticked all those boxes, and I had to for my own good. I have no contact with my two daughters or any of the grandchildren, or my in laws. And, the in laws were never big fans of mine anyway, so no real loss there. I am comfortable being a grumpy old man who does not like being around kids, so not seeing the grandkids is not too hard on me really. Modern kids live in a parallel universe to me. The deep and abiding sorrow I have is that despite all my efforts to explain my mental health issues to my daughters and offer my profound apologies for my behavior, they just don't care and I do not exist to them. Fortunately, my closest friends do care about me. And, my wife has learnt that my physical health impacts on my mental health and visa versa interestingly. So things are better between us now than a number of years ago, and that is a good thing. That feeling of fragility is a burden that comes and goes. I am determined to lot let it smother me. Not like it has before.

Sad all the time? Dysthymia

interloper — Wed, 05 Jul 2017 03:35:22 GMT

Dysthymia for me = my mood never getting up to a 'neutral' level for any significant period of time. I identify all of the reasons not to do something. I see no positivity in the world. I've rationalised why I don't like anything (when you weight the pros and cons of everything the cons always win)