Sadness Is Also Expressed In A Bad Mood

There are times when the dream is clouded with pessimism and the bad mood turns into that unpleasant companion that covers everything with a bitter taste. Sadness tends to blur positive emotions to sharpen them into chronic apathy, into a lingering malaise under which depression actually lurks.

Dysthymia disorder affects nearly 5% of the population. Its symptoms are often so subtle that we are used to dealing with this persistent bad mood or apathy because, in the end, even if it is uncomfortable, it allows us to remain functional.

One thing to keep in mind is that not all depressions are the same. Each person has a particular reality that needs to be understood and individualized. However, when we talk about dysthymia, it is always very clear that we are facing this profile where discouragement and bitterness trace a very concrete type of disease.

Dysthymia, a very subtle type of depression

One aspect that we must clarify is that sadness, by itself, is not synonymous with depression. Nor is a bad mood always the reflection of a bad temper. Depressive disorders are characterized by very delicate tones, but dysthymia is a subtype and, in turn, has its own traits that need to be considered:

• A person with dysthymia usually complains about almost anything. They suffer from a chronic malaise, an anhedonia that prevents them from being able to enjoy or find the positive side of life.
• They have a lack of concentration and sleep disorders.
• Suffer appetite changes: days without appetite or moments of high anxiety to eat.
• They can maintain a job and professional performance, but their income is usually low.
• They suffer periods of melancholy, of a hidden sadness that is reflected in turn in a weakening of the immune system, which results in a fall in defenses and illness.
• Unlike the rest of the depressions, the person with dysthymia is “functional”, that is, they maintain their responsibilities and are autonomous, but their interpersonal relationships are affected.

A common thing that people with dysthymia usually experience is seeing how their surroundings also become “aggressive”. The bad mood in people with dysthymia, far from being understood, contaminates the rest, and people choose to impose distance: they move away . Little by little, a vicious circle emerges that increases their dissatisfaction and loneliness even more.

When the brain wears the darkness of bad mood

As the DSM-V (Diagnostic Manual for Mental Disorders) explains, dysthymia disorder usually lasts for periods of 2 years and also has a genetic factor. If not treated properly, it can end up in major depression.

We know that it is not easy to be sensitive to the “bad mood”, with this family member we label as “toxic” just because he criticizes everything that seems positive to us. Sometimes dysthymia lies hidden in the people we are closest to and perhaps even in ourselves.

The problem with dysthymia disorder is that although its symptoms are mild, they are often persistent, and a life dominated by apathy, melancholy, and continual frustration loses its quality and luster. Now, these penumbra that cover our brain can be coated with the proper treatment.

How to face dysthymia

It is good to consider the following clarifications regarding dysthymia:

• When our brain is dominated by bad moods, what it actually experiences is a change in its brain chemistry: it lacks the “fuel” to experience positive emotions.
• A bad-tempered brain presents dysphoria, that is, irritability, dissatisfaction, anxiety… All of this is due to an imbalance in a neurotransmitter called dopamine, which can be restored through the use of drugs.

• Dysthymia needs to be treated through proper medication and psychotherapy. The support of the surroundings and the will to overcome the disease are also essential.

One thing to consider is that although dysthymia disorder affects men and women equally, they are the ones who usually seek support and treatment, being aware that this malaise, this bad mood, greatly alters their personal balance.

For this reason, as with the rest of disorders, it is important to show sensitivity and intuition. A bad mood is not always “a contagious virus”. Sometimes, behind this mask, there is someone who suffers and needs support, closeness.