mands of everyday life" (F34.1 Dysthymia in Long, 1995/6).
In attempting to identify dysthymia the World Health Organization had determined that its essential feature surfaces as a very long-standing depression which fails to meet the criteria established for recurrent depressive disorder. Most frequently, this condition begins early in adult life. Current research indicates that the condition of dysthymia should be observed as lasting several years, sometimes indefinitely. Interestingly, it is not to be confused with symptoms induced by anxiety depression, bereavement reaction (lasting up to 2 years) and residual schizophrenia. It does include, however, depressive neurosis, depressive personality disorder, neurotic depression and persistent anxiety depression (Diagnostic Guidelines in Long, 1995/6).
One of the most intriguing results of recent research on dysthymia is that patients so diagnosed are o
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