topic Doctors and Dysthymia in Depression

Doctors and Dysthymia

MichaelMelbourne — Sun, 07 Sep 2014 14:47:13 GMT

Hey Everyone,

I'm Michael. I'm recently 19 years old. Basically ever since probably when I was around 14-15, I've had what I thought were bouts of depression every now and then, and other than that, nothing else too bad. However, I've come to see that this whole time, I've had a mild form of depression, punctuated by those occasional darker moments.

In reading about depression, I came across Dysthymia which seems to hit the nail on the head. I decided to take the plunge and see a doctor about it. I guess I didn't have the same great experience with doctors that people seem to have. It's not that she didn't believe me, but I felt like I had to talk myself up a bit around her. Make it like my symptoms aren't as bad as they are. In the end, she recommended I do a Medical Action Plan and then do psych sessions. Should I do this? They are all really expensive ad I don't know if I want to.

Towards the end, short of diagnosing me with dysthymia or depression, she commented that she thought I probably just had a generally more melancholic/ darker outlook than most people so it might not be anything, which worried me a little.

Anyone had a similar experience? I really think I know what I have, but the Doctor doesn't seem to be on the same wave-length... but then again, she is a Doctor and I'm not. I'm a bit lost. Should I see another Doctor to double check or stay with this one?

Doctors and Dysthymia

Chloekat84 — Mon, 08 Sep 2014 06:18:21 GMT

Hey Michael,

I have been diagnosed with dysthymia and Borderline Personality disorder by a psychiatrist. I do recommend doing a mental health plan which usually cost around 30 or 40 $ but then u are referred to many different services like a psychologist or mental health clinician and psychiatrist who can diagnose u officially. U can stick to your own doc to do this or ask to see someone else or someone from the "get support" tab on the top of the website it has many different doctors etc to choose from. Hope this info helps x

Doctors and Dysthymia

white knight — Mon, 08 Sep 2014 07:43:23 GMT

Hi MM thankyou for your post.

I have dysthymia also and bipolar 2 and depression.

I would, like Chloekat recommend a mental health plan. This will be your second important step in caring for yourself, the first being getting to the doctor in the first place and I commend you highly for that action.

I'm struggling to understand why your doctor told you that you might be "a little more melancholy than most" or similar words. That is what dysthymia is. My cycle used to be 8-10 weeks of being ok then a 10 day period of falling into an emotional heap. During this time I'd write poetry, wonder what my purpose was in life and zone out into emotional places in my mind. Interesting enough was when I visited my psychiatrist in 2009. I had been misdiagnosed with bipolar 1 7 years earlier. This psychiatrist however questioned me a lot on my childhood in particular any traumatic events that took place. I couldnt think of any, then I told him I had an episode when 12yo when I didnt speak for 3 months, not a word. Then he was really interested. I told him of an event in our backyard pool when my older brother had a diabetic 'turn' and nearly drowned. My shrink then told me that that event triggered the dysthymia. Very interesting.

I urge you to pursue this. You never know what might come out of your future interviews. In order to get well or at least manage your mental health you need to find out the source of the illness as best as you can.

Please, you have taken a major step many dont bother taking. You are brave enough to do that. Your doctor might not be fully trained in mental health and you have read up a lot to understand your possible condition. Keep going and take care.

Doctors and Dysthymia

banksy — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 05:50:27 GMT

Hi my name is Brendan I've had dysthmia for 20 years and would like to chat to other people with this disorder 🙂

Doctors and Dysthymia

HA1 — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 13:37:22 GMT

Hello Banksy

Welcome to the BeyondBlue forum. You have certainly come to the right place. As you probably have figured out, here you will find a community of people who you can talk to about issues that worry you or to just vent your frustrations.

so please ask any questions you like, and soon you will find that many members will join your thread.

Can I suggest that you start a new thread for you, to discuss your issues. The post away with any questions. Perhaps you might start by telling us a little about yourself.

again, welcome and I'll look forward to seeing your posts.

take care

Doctors and Dysthymia

white knight — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 03:34:29 GMT

Hi Banksy,

My problem answering your question is that I have other issues like bipolar 2, anxiety and depression and that my dysthymia is and would be, mixed in like a cocktail with the others. I'd find it hard to distinguish between them.

What I do know is that my psychiatrist had suspicions I had dysthymia and therefore questioned me at length about any traumas I had in my childhood. I had one at 12yo and didnt speak a word for 3 months. Following that event I became often sad, cried a lot and went within myself often. I eventually took up poetry and found, surprisingly it was the one true "outlet" or relief valve for my condition. So much so that events throughout my life that I mentally hung onto for years were often dropped once I wrote a poem about it. Amazing stuff and I went on to write a few hundred more as therapy.

As I say I dont know if this helps with you and your situation. And some of my symptoms may well be caused by my other ills.

Tony

Doctors and Dysthymia

banksy — Sun, 28 Sep 2014 22:23:30 GMT

Hi tony must be confusing not knowing exactly what is trigger for your depression, I have generalised anxiety disorder on top of dysthmia ,find it hard to talk about this stuff and don't talk to my friends about it ,they just don't get it!

Doctors and Dysthymia

white knight — Mon, 29 Sep 2014 00:47:12 GMT

Hi Banksy,

Yes, it can be confusing. eg Initially I was diagnosed incorrectly with aDHD and Bipolar 1. That was 11 years ago and the subsequent medication was incorrect and with woeful results. The diagnosis was due to my over active but inattentive behaviour. Later on a second psychiatrist diagnosed me with the 4 other illnesses that were correct IMO. So what of the overactive and inattentive behaviour? Most of that was mania not aDHD. So we learn.

Dysthymia IMO and in my case (might not be for all) is a depth of depression unlike other depression. It's what I tag 'sadness depression'. My wife has general depression and when it comes around she'll sleep much more. That is not like what I have. When my depression comes I'll get really moody and confronting. When dysthymia rises (from its normal level as it is always there rather than coming and going) I write sad poetry, see things in emotional ways and concentrate on the sad or valued things in life. It isnt easy to explain but everything has an emotional attachment to it.

I've often wondered if Van Gogh had it when he cut of his ear for his girlfriend? When younger (and single) and in this state I'd drive into the city and talk to the homeless or soup kitchen workers or maybe walk along a beach to sit on a rock and wonder why I exist. But it also can be an emotional feeling about life and the wonder of it. That's why I often listen to Marahaji 'sunset' on youtube. That video takes me to a special place.

That's why I'm interested in others that have dysthymia. To see if they have the same symptoms.

Doctors and Dysthymia

banksy — Mon, 29 Sep 2014 04:27:24 GMT

Hi tony thanks for your insight into dysthymia ,i feel pretty similar to you with my depression,I broke up with my wife 4 years ago and have been single since ,my depression was a big part of me losing my marriage, my dysthymia is always with me but on top of that I slump in into what's called double depression which is apparently part of dysthymia .I constantly worry about things all the time ,low self esteem pergermism and anxiety,although i try not to be like this it rears its heaugly head and "CBT" doesn't work for me ,I hope this helps ,will check out song on YouTube 🙂

Doctors and Dysthymia

banksy — Mon, 29 Sep 2014 04:53:54 GMT

Hi k ,not real good at this sort of thing,what do you mean tell us about yourself and issue sorryit it might seem like I'm asking silly questions just my low self esteem ,look forward to ur reply 🙂

Doctors and Dysthymia

HA1 — Mon, 29 Sep 2014 08:41:33 GMT

Hey Banksy - Good to hear back from you! I hope you are having some good days.

Firstly, no need to apologise on this forum. Ask questions, seek clarifications, or just vent - there is no such thing as a silly question.

Anyway, what meant was for you to tell us more about how you feel, how long you have been suffering, etc. Just so that we understand your circumstances a bit better. But you know what, you have already in your second reply to WK. So thanks for that. Now I know a little bit more about you.

You might have noted that WK mentioned above that he is interested in understanding the symptoms of others with dysthymia. I am going to follow up with a separate reply. However, I am also interested in understanding better how you feel on a good day and a bad day with dysthymia? And when the (double) depression hits, how does that make you feel. Does it make your dysthymia symptoms worse, or are there new and different symptoms that you experience?

Now it my turn to apologise for asking a lot of questions without providing much help at all.

Look forward to hearing back from you.

Take care

Doctors and Dysthymia

banksy — Mon, 29 Sep 2014 22:09:55 GMT

Hi k ,OK a bit more about me I'm 42 work part time ,I have been having problems with depression since my late teens,I been numerous medications with little effect, I do have days when I don't feel to bad but the dysthymia is always chewing away at me.I hear some experts say that dysthymia is less severe depression than other types but for me it isn't ,It is a struggle for me to get through everyday ,constantly worrying about things ,inability to relax or enjoy myself ,as far as a bout of double depression goes I've just come out of one after along 2 weeks !..How I felt in that period is a place you don't want to be ,feelings of fear of dying ,feeling sad remembering back to the days when didn't have depression ,it sounds weird to say but when I'm in a bout of double depression the hills and the skies seem gloomy and creepy !anyway that's a bit more about how I. feel with dysthymia ,banksy

Doctors and Dysthymia

HA1 — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 03:45:38 GMT

Hi Banksy

Thank for that information. Chalk me up as someone who relates 100% to the symptoms that you describe. That is me from as young as I can remember to now. It took me a long while to from up and get diagnosed, and that only happened after a complete and very severe meltdown that also affected my physical health.

I look forward to exploring and sharing with you on this thread.

Talk soon Banksy.

Doctors and Dysthymia

white knight — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 04:53:42 GMT

Hi Banksy and AOK, a very interesting thread.

I'm 58yo and retired last year due to my mental struggles. This dysthymia Banksy you described rather well indeed. "The sky creeping" although not my description, is one way to think of it.

Many times when single, or maybe had an argument with my then partner, I'd seek a rock on the top of a hill and stare at the view, tears dropping like a waterfall. My depth of thinking at this point is very very deep. I'd question my existence, my reason for being, imagine great things like seeking out the nearest animal to pat it, caress it, love it and of course write my poetry. The deeper I be the better the poetry.

My mates never understood of course. Once my long time school friend's father died. I'd never seen him cry. He cried at the cemetery. The next day I asked him how he felt at the grave site. "shocking" he said. I then told him I felt like that regularly...he then realise the depth of the problem. It was my only way to paint the picture.

My cycle used to be 8 weeks then 10 days of deep sadness. I never realised a cycle existed for many years until my then partner recognised one and kept a diary. Now its every 4 weeks with a deep sadness session of about 3-4 hours. This is rough but you get the idea. I dont know if age has had any bearing on this too.

Banksy, you mention symptoms that for me has been great imagination. I often wonder if the great artists or writers of the world have had dysthymia? I was nicknamed "the worrier" at 12yo by a teacher. I was also told I "was bright". I had trouble focussing too. These tags and others led to my miss diagnosis of ADHD. ADHD was thought to develop in some people as a protective mechanism in cavemen days - to be alert enough not to have your stew stolen or your safety from predators compromised. So ADHD is natural, just not ideal in the "normal world".

So dysthymia, perhaps is the creative person, with great imagination, a worrier maybe, deep feelings, compassionate. I wonder if these 'possible' traits of the one with dysthymia is accurate and if we can add to that list or tune it up.?

Then there is the other thought. If we have had dysthymia as part of our lives, our make up most of our lives, could we do without it? It's part of me now. The times it does not exist and I feel 'normal' I feel like I've lost a big part of my soul.

Doctors and Dysthymia

banksy — Wed, 01 Oct 2014 10:32:42 GMT

Hi WK I agree with you dysthymia is a part of your soul but I'm not too sure I would be upset if it left me ,I think I would feel finally set free from this oppression and its strangling strings called dysthymic disorder

Doctors and Dysthymia

HA1 — Wed, 01 Oct 2014 21:56:25 GMT

Hi Guys!

A little bit off topic but ......

Doing a bit of casual research on the topic, I came across a story about a Siberian funeral band (!!??) ---------- wait for it!

The bands name is Station Dysthymia ! Their music, published by Solitude Productions, is described as "..desolate, hopeless, dark music". Can you imagine? Was not tempted to listen & I am not rushing out to buy their music!

Take care

Doctors and Dysthymia

banksy — Wed, 01 Oct 2014 22:37:43 GMT

Hi k so how long have you had dysthymia ?

Doctors and Dysthymia

banksy — Thu, 02 Oct 2014 01:07:42 GMT

Sounds like it would be dydthymia death metal !

Doctors and Dysthymia

HA1 — Thu, 02 Oct 2014 03:52:21 GMT

Hey Banksy - how are you travelling? Feeling any better?

Thanks for your question. The short answer is we (me and my team of health professionals), are quickly coming to the conclusion that I probably have had it all my life - without it being diagnosed as such and, hence, without treatment. (Even as a toddler/young child, I have now been told, that I never wanted to/or could mingle with others and always sought out my own space. So I have lived with it for a long time and it has shaped who I am. Without it, I would be someone else?? Interestingly, now that I am on a very high dose of medication, my wife partner has been lamenting that I am different and she no longer recognises me for who I was. She is sad about it! But I have to rationalise it with the reality that I need to change if I am to get better and hope that you can indeed teach an old dog new tricks. Or I can forget about getting better, and live as I have been! Bit of a catch 22.

Sorry, went off topic a bit and started venting - apologies.

In my case it is also becoming evident that there are genetics at play in a fairly big way.

Hoping that you are having a good day,

Doctors and Dysthymia

banksy — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 10:05:51 GMT

Hi feeling a bit better for a change,hope u are feeling OK,yes I agree that we may be born with dsythmia just a matter of when it appears in our life and genetics is a factor ,my mum is a real worrier!