Dysthymia is a profound state of unease or dissatisfaction and in a psychiatric context, dysphoria may accompany depression, anxiety, or agitation. It is a mild, persistant, long-term form of depression and if combined with more severe depressive episodes it's now called Persistant Depressive Disorder. Although Dysthymia is a mild form of depression it can become major if it not treated quickly. I have had depression for as long as I can remember and I suppose, as a child, you just think everyone feels this way until you learn that this is not the case. By then it is too late and I was first diagnosed with major depression when I was 16 and developed PTSD in my 30's. The problem is that if the major depression goes away, I'm still left with this on-going low feeling until the next major episode appears. This low mood means that I rarely get any enjoyment out of life. I can recall times where I should have been having the time of my life but I was just counting the minute...
For a long time I used to joke that I had Bulemia but hadn't got round to the vomiting part yet. Thankfully Compulsive Eating and Binge Eating Disorder are now recognised eating disorders. The main symptom of binge eating disorder is eating huge amounts of food in a short time. It is almost as if you are in a trance...I just eat, rarely enjoying the food, just shovelling it in as fast as possible until I feel horribly full and sick. It's not down to me feeling hungry, it's something else and it is an overwhelming craving for certain foods...chocolate, crisps, bread and anything else that is not particularly good for you and in my case I have intolerances too. Another problem is that I would be too embarrassed to eat like this in front of anyone else so it's a secret that results in shame, self hatred and increased anxiety and depression. I feel totally out of control when eating like this. I don't do it all the time...it's one of the red flags that something ...