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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffDysthymia is a mild but chronic form of depression. Dysthymia symptoms usually last for at least two years, and often much longer than that, especially when the condition starts in childhood.
Although the symptoms of dysthymia may be less intense than those of depression, dysthymia can actually affect your life more seriously because it lasts so long. With dysthymia, you may lose interest in normal daily activities, feel hopeless, lack productivity and have a low self-esteem. In general, dysthymia prevents you from living life to its fullest, and your overall quality of life may be low. Dysthymia is also known as dysthymic disorder and sometimes as chronic depression and minor depression.
