Many people with dysthymia, who are well aware they often feel sad or "down", don't recognise that they have an illness for which help is available, or even that it warrants seeking help. This is a great pity, because dysthymia is treatable. No-one should resign themselves or downplay having to endure chronic unhappiness, however mild.
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Psychotherapy in conjunction with antidepressant medication is usually the most effective treatment for dysthymia.
Dysthymia appears to respond particularly well to focused, short-term psychotherapies such as cognitive therapy,
behaviour therapy and interpersonal therapy. These therapies employ methods to change dysfunctional beliefs and behaviours and address relationship problems associated with the condition.
Dysthymia also appears to be highly responsive to antidepressant drug treatment.
About 65% of patients with dysthymia will respond to treatment. Because their side effects are relatively mild, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Prozac (fluoxetine), Aropax (paroxetine) and Zoloft (sertraline) are now most commonly prescribed medications for people with dysthymia.
Other antidepressants such as the tricyclics (TCAs), monoamine oxidase
inhibitors (MAOIs), and the reversible inhibitors of monoamine oxidase (RIMAs)
have also been shown to be effective.
Family and group therapy is also of value to help patients and families
deal with the symptoms of dysthymia and to teach withdrawn patients social
skills.
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