DEFINITION

• Dysthymia is a chronic mood disorder characterized by insidious onset and smoldering course of at least two years of depressed mood, impaired ability to experience pleasure, and other depressive symptoms severe enough to affect the overall quality of life and functioning
• "Dysthymic disorder" has been replaced in the DSM-5-TR by "persistent depressive disorder" (PDD) based on epidemiological and genetic research suggesting that a more accurate nosology of depressive disorders divides them into acute/episodic and chronic illnesses. However, dysthymic disorder may still be used colloquially.
• DSM-5-TR criteria include depressed mood for most of the day, more days than not, for ≥2 years, plus ≥2 of: poor appetite/overeating, insomnia/hypersomnia, low energy, low self-esteem, poor concentration, hopelessness.