What causes chronic depression

While dysthymia is a serious illness, it’s also very treatable. As with any chronic illness, early diagnosis and medical treatment may reduce the intensity and duration of symptoms and also reduce the likelihood of developing an episode of major depression. As with major depression, it may involve more than one cause, such as: Biological differences. People with persistent depressive disorder may have physical changes in their brains.

The significance of these changes is still uncertain, but they may eventually help pinpoint causes.

It’s a relatively new diagnosis that combines the two earlier diagnoses dysthymia and chronic major depressive disorder. Like other types of depression, PDD causes continuous feelings of deep sadness and hopelessness. These feelings can affect your mood and behavior as well as physical functions,. Depression (major depressive disorder) Print.

Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. Chronic depression : Chronic depression is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities and this maybe present for months together. The differences between episodic and chronic depression encompass more than just duration.

Studies show that, compared with episodic major depression, chronic depression causes more functional impairment, increases risk of suicide, and is more likely to occur in conjunction with other psychiatric disorders.

On some days individuals may feel relatively fine or even have moments of joy. But the good mood usually lasts no longer than a few weeks to a few months. As dysthymia is a chronic disorder, sufferers may experience symptoms for many years before it is diagnose if diagnosis occurs at all. As a result, they may believe that depression is a part of their character, so they may not even discuss their symptoms with doctors, family members or friends.

Researchers suspect there are actually many different causes of depression and that it is not always preventable. Factors that can contribute to depression include genetics, brain chemistry, certain medical conditions, substance use, stress, and poor nutrition. What is the best medication for chronic depression? What causes depression and what you can do about it?

What are the acute effects of depression? Help Your Patient Find Treatment, Prescribing, And Dosing Information Here. Persistent depressive disorder, formerly known as dysthymia, is a form of chronic depression.

Learn about its symptoms, causes , treatment, and more. Any chronic condition can trigger depression, but the risk increases if the illness is more severe and causes more disruption in the patient’s life. The brain sends the body into fight or flight mode, preparing to fight off whatever is causing the pain.

In most instances, depression and anxiety does not have a single cause. Medical professionals state that depression and anxiety surfaces from “a mix” of factors: genes, past experience, current circumstances, and others. Understanding the reason why one is suffering from chronic depression and anxiety is not the most important thing.

For example, conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and stroke cause changes in the brain. In some cases, these changes may have a direct role in depression. Illness-related anxiety and stress can also trigger symptoms of depression. The stress of having a chronic illness may trigger an episode of major depression.

Some people have noticeable changes in their brains with depression. Changes in hormone production or functioning could lead to the onset of depressive states. Rather, there are many possible causes of depression , including faulty mood regulation by the brain, genetic vulnerability, stressful life events, medications, and medical problems.