They may lose interest in normal daily activities, feel hopeless, lack productivity, and have low self-esteem and an overall feeling of inadequacy. Persistent depressive disorder can begin in childhood, adolescence, or adulthood.
Symptoms of persistent depressive disorder often overlap with symptoms of other depressive disorders, but they tend to be less intense. Symptoms of persistent depressive disorder also include the presence of two (or more) of the following:
*Feelings of hopelessness, sadness, or pessimism
*Low energy or fatigue
*Poor appetite or overeating
*Difficulty with concentration and decision-making
*Excessive sleeping or having difficulty sleeping
*Feelings of worthlessness, guilt, or constant self-criticism
In persistent depressive disorder, the long duration is the key to the diagnosis, not the intensity of symptoms.
Symptoms can grow into a full-blown episode of major depression. People with persistent depressive disorder have a greater-than-average chance of developing major depression.
Persistent depressive disorder runs in families and is more common in women than in men. Persistent depressive disorder is not preventable, and symptoms may occur in childhood and continue throughout adult-hood. Experiencing a major loss during childhood, such as the death of a parent, is associated with an increased risk of later-developing persistent depressive disorder.
Persistent
depressive disorder
