About Causes Of Dysthymia: Causes Of Dysthymia

Read about the causes of dysthymia and how to deal with the effects. It can be related to depression as well. Depression not only affects the person who is going through it, but also everyone around them, including friends, family, loved ones, spouses, and children.

Causes of Dysthymia

Dysthymia or dysthymic disorder is a mild chronic depression that lasts for years. It affects 5% of the population at some stage in their lives' and it is known to be a common form of depression. Dysthymia occurs at an early stage in a person’s life' and the possibility of developing to a major depression at a later stage in life is very high' unless proper treatment is not sought. This mild form of depression known as dysthymia' stays on or persists for a long period of time and sometimes people are not aware that they are suffering from dysthymia and as such proper medication is not given to these people. Quite often' the symptoms are thought of as a part and parcel of their lives and as such it is not treated as an illness. As symptoms of dysthymia are not severe' they are able to handle the day to day work' but they are always in a low or sad mood and as such the work and relationships tend to suffer.

What causes Dysthymia? The exact cause for Dysthymic disorder in not known. But according to experts this mild depression or Dysthymia is related to brain changes that involve serotonin' a neurotransmitter that helps the brain handle emotions. Researchers also believe that Dysthymia and depression has common origins' including:

Genes or hereditary: According to study depression is hereditary' and people with a family history of depression are at risk of getting depression' and likewise people with a family history of Dysthymia are at risk of getting this disease.

Biochemical: There is evidence as in depression' that people suffering from Dysthymia have physical changes in their brains.

Environment: The following causes are similar to both conditions' and can raise the risk of Dysthymia; Loneliness' low-self-esteem or self-worth' work stress' relationship' long term illnesses' loss of a loved one and retirement.

Chronic or long term illnesses may cause mild depression or even severe depression. These are cardio-vascular diseases' stroke' diabetes' infectious diseases' Alzheimer’s disease' dementia or cancer.

Long term and continuance use of alcohol and withdrawal of same can cause Dysthymia.

Drugs used for illnesses also may cause mild depression. These are chemotherapeutic drugs' anticonvulsants such as diazepam' and other medications and long term use of steroids.

Although the cause has not yet been proven' there are cases of mild depression in pregnancies' though rare it has been identified as a cause. Dysthymia is a serious condition' and taking proper medication is vital as this is a silent killer where it can really drain out the person and leave him hopeless and helpless. Unless treated on time' it can even lead to suicidal death. As such' it is important that you pay attention to those around you' and no sooner when prevailing symptoms are noticed' that they are taken for medication and attention.