Dysthymic disorder, or dysthymia, is a type of depression that lasts for at least two years.
Some people suffer from dysthymia for years.
The depression is usually mild or moderate, rather than severe. Most people with dysthymia cannot tell for sure when they first became depressed. Symptoms of dysthymic disorder include a poor appetite or overeating, difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much, low energy, fatigue and feelings of hopelessness. But people with dysthymic disorder may have periods of normal mood that last up to two months. Family members and friends may not even know that their loved one is depressed.