I've had this since adolescence. It ruined my life, completely changed who I would've become. I try not dwell on the past, because I can't get those 30 years and missed opportunities back. I can only be grateful for the final realization that I'm ill, and not to be blamed. I'm now working toward a healthy mind and body, and to maybe finally find peace and happiness.
I have been dysthymic my entire life. I couldn't put a word to my condition because I just thought that this was the way that everybody felt. It wasn't until I realized that it was impossible for me to feel joy that something actually WAS wrong with me. This has been an enlightening video. Thanks Douglas.
You are welcome. Fortunately, there are ways that you can help your brain to feel that pleasure such as therapy, lifestyle habits, and sometimes medication that's the purpose of this channel is to share these coping strategies. You might also want to look at my book called Healing From Depression: A Body, Mind and Spirit Recovery Program
I feel like a spectator to eveything around me, I'm just here watching eveything and eveyone around me go about their business. Not a part of it....just watching.
@@stevecarol686 I'm not sure i will ever feel part of this world. Doesn't matter where I am or who's around me i just feel detached from it. Like an imposter goin thru the motions to fit in. Trying to find out if i have autism spectrum disorder/ asbergers because I have a lot of the traits. It would explain a lot of why I am the way I am.
@@tlenkeeb829 I am sorry for your illness. But bigots who cause you pain will in the long term always fail. I have felt detached from society from an early age. It is exceptionally difficult to deal with this either from the sufferer's position to the person who just wants to help.
Dysthymia is awful in the sense that it seems there's never relief. I have it...and the hardest part is trying to navigate people's attitudes more than anything. In America if one isn't grinning from ear to ear, and being an all around cheerleader, you're basically considered a Debbie Downer. For years I tried to fight the DD in me...but now I accept her as being a part of me but not what defines me...and part of the healing process has been to get rid of people who don't understand, and negatively judge depression from my life. That's the healthiest thing I could've ever done.
Zipemova yes I have it and i lost y bff that I’ve had for 47 years she was supposed to be the “nice “ one and understanding one and funny is she got a degree in psychology hoping to be a therapist and yet didn’t stand by me nor even notice
I went my whole life with this, and never even understood. I just didn't get any pleasure from life, but that seemed to be normal to me. I would see happy go people, and would just rationalize "well, that's because I'm useless/a failure/an error of nature" and so on. When I tried to voice out my feeling the answer with be either "get a girl!" or "what you need is a solid work! Go work, you lazy piece!". And well, I got the girl and I went to work, and still all the feelings persisted. F*ck...
Well, now you have a name to put on your condition, What you have is not your fault. Millions of Americans have dysthymia, and it is treatable. If you email me, I will send you a chart showing some of the lifestyle actives that will help your mood. douglasbloch@gmail.com
@@DouglasBloch Would it be ok if I ask you to send me the information as well? I am agonizing daily about this (self diagnosed) condition of mine. I do not want to consider medication so any alternative treatment option is worth exploring
You can still dwell in momentary pleasure, even when "life itself" doesn't do that for you. I am sure you got humor, and laugh when you find something to be funny.
I have this dysthymia. I think I've probably had it since I started adolescents. Swimming really helps me. It quiets my mind. I breathe deeper. The cool water eases muscle aches. I also love horseback riding. When I ride or am just near a horse I am calmed. I just think about how beautiful she is. I also must stay in the present moment when i arm riding a horse.. Being present and "in the now" is a great way to give yourself a break. Also if I have a sour thought or if I say something negative to myself I'll say. "STOP!". I will not stay with that thought. It takes persistence though. Just keep at it. Say nice things to yourself. Say, "I did great today!" Be your own best friend. Talk to yourself like you are a good friend or a kindly aunt. Wise, gentle words. Forgive yourself for not being perfect. You are perfectly imperfect.
I also find that a good way. To know that one is not ones thoughts, and if such a formulated impulse-thought comes I am aware of it and reformulate it untill it actually expresses what I am feeling. I started doing that myself about 7 years ago or so. And I can say it really brings some more and more clarity over time. I never felt being worthless, or not being enough, because I am doing that and because I don't take too serious (or at all) what people say who rather spout out their (very often) stupid and not accurately formulated impulses, instead of reflecting what actully was.
This explains the years 2007-2013 in my young adult life. I spent that time going back and forth between assuming I must be depressed but realizing I was too high functioning. I got out of bed everyday and lived my life in a fog. I did nothing to deal with this unnamed problem. I finally got out of that slump when I started my previous job. The work added meaning to my life and my manager built my self esteem. I still have a tendency towards dark thoughts and down moods but I am eternally grateful to my manager and the belief she had in me. There is hope. Life gets better.
You are quickly turning into an old friend, with help offered by one experienced survivor to a less experienced one on the battleground of these brain illnesses. Thank you.
Douglas Bloch hello, yes. I have a few professionals helping me. I'm a few weeks into medication. And some non traditional help, however, the hopelessness hasn't shifted as yet. But I'm still standing. Thanks for asking.
Its actually heartbreaking when i hear the definition with "less serious". I feel that it needs to be redefined with better wording, or maybe just not compared in that way.
I was diagnosed with Dysthymia 6 years ago, although my psychiatrist reckons I've had it most of my life. I am currently having CBT Therapy, which is helping tremendously. Thankyou for your channel.
This makes a lot of sense. I don’t look or act like your typical “depressed” person but I know it’s definitely there. For many years or just not feeling happy and experiencing every symptom, but not to the point of non functional. Just living with it. Also the double depression thing gets me, too.
Join the club. There are a number of things that we can do to raise your mood, such as exercise, diet, getting good sleep, social support, having a routine, spirituality, psychotherapy. I have a diagram with 45 of the strategies that you can have if you wish
Been feeling low on life for as long I can remember. I have eaten all kind of nature suppliments, tried weight lift and do walks, eat food high in vitamins and go to bed early but even so I always feel fatigued, so much so that I do no longer care to excersise or follow any good sleep patterns. The worst part about my dysthymia is I have no intrests or goals in life, literaly none, I only do things I have to do, not because I want to, nothing brings me joy in life. I am only 26 years old and I fear the future, wondering how I will be able to live through life as I am totaly dead inside. The result of this being made me do opiodes last year as it is the only time in my life I can feel good inside, sad but true.
Have you talk to a psychiatrist or other prescriber about possibly going on medication? Also you should talk with your doctor to see if you have an under active thyroid gland which often is the cause of depression. Make sure you rule out all of the medical conditions that can cause depression
Wow, I am going through the exact same situation. 26 yr old and have no goals or ambitions, no life in me. I feel like a dead person everyday. The things I used to enjoy such as my art has become such a difficult chore that I don’t want to put it the effort to finish them. I have ideas and fantasies that give me a rush for five minutes, then I crash just to crawl in bed and spend the day sleeping. I hate the way I am, it feels like I’m trapped in a heavy human body that won’t let me do anything.
@@readingwolf108 set a goal. Why not display your art? Have a showing? Invite friends & family. Serve some food hang your art work on the wall for those to see. Having a goal, like the show might get you back to creating art.
Very informative video Douglas. I have applied some of the principles you talk about and I am doing much better...spending less time in the gray fog. Best wishes to you sir. Your work is impacting so many lives and helping people find a positive path to walk down.
Thanks Jon. I also wanted to let you know about a crowdfunding site that I have started to help me continue to make my videos and websites. Please feel no obligation to contribute, but if you would like to take a look, here is the website. www.patreon.com/douglasbloch
I have to love u tube for helping us all feel less alone. Learn to like yourself more and dysthymia will be less and less an issue. We’re special people.
Inshanitythewriter it’s very worth it . The second part of my workout and the rest of the day after it are usually the best parts of the day for me . And it gets better and better .
Even without appetite, hunger will make one eat. Just the most nessesary sometimes, but still. At leat you won't get too fat, right? xD I hate doing both of these things as well, maybe you need to find something you really like. But I am sure you've heard all of that as well as me.
I'm coming out of this right now. after 2 and a half years of analytic therapy and some light antidepressants. the really nasty thing is, that this is so light... that noone notices. I've been suffering from it as long as I can remember. people saw me cry more than was normal... but noone had the time to look propperly and noone did or said anything. so I thought it was normal and I just had to pull myself together. and I became really good at that. it took me 25 years to realise that something was really wrong. 1 year to find a therapist. and yea.. after 2 and a half years of therapy I'm pretty good. I've connected to myself. wich makes so many things so much easier. social encounters that I could only manage by rehearsing the conversations in my head... and learning from past mistakes... like an AI trying to become human.... these things now just happen. it's magic.
I am 65 years old and knew that I have suffered from low grade depression all of my life but never knew until very recently that there is a medical term for it. This video was very helpful. Thank you!
Same with me. I am 60 yrs old. I have felt this way my whole life. And as I look back it makes a lot of sense. Never interested in passionate about anything. Just trying not to feel down every day I have been on anti depressants as long as I can remember. Dont think I could function without them.
Finally, a name to the feeling I live with every day. There is so little information out there unless one is in a major depression or is bi-polar. I never have manic highs, but I never feel so low that I cannot function as required. The loss of joy. You have helped me to understand and I thank you. I've just become a subscriber to learn more on this journey.
Sometimes I think about my situation and say, was this life? For a decade, anxiety and depression, and when I sleep, it's all negative dreams. When I wake up, I see my illness and loneliness. Medicine, exercise and all these positive things, I really don't know why I don't see much effect. Depression has to pass a decade of my efforts to come to a conclusion. Devastating is the only word I can use. It's just that depression is not permanent, the fear of the return of mania is a different story. This mental crisis and seeing the people around me who are healthy people gives me a hard feeling of loneliness. I wish I could get better one day.
I have had much success with many of the tools you recommend, including exercise, meditation, social interaction, light therapy and nutrition and I want to encourage people to try this route and hang in there. It comes and goes but it definitely can get better. And it's a good thing to be a serious, deep, responsible person. Lincoln has always been my hero and I can relate to his suffering.
hi Doug I hope that you are getting better mate, worried about you pal, last post I saw you were really in a low. Mate whatever you are going through at this moment and how hard, please please please don’t ever give up hope mate people out here thinking about you and wishing you goodness, kindness, happiness and healing. YOU a have a very important role in this world. Please stay safe and keep talking to those around you buddy. ❤
I remember when a year ago i visited a therapist for the first time And i described my situation as "I always felt that way, but it got worse" Now I realize that it was double depression I thought it was normal to feel this way I never took that seriously because I'm a teen and it's probably "just puberty"
Greeting from Montréal, Québec, Canada !!! THANK YOU Mr. Bloch, you have FINALLY put a name on my emotional/mental situation, wich my doctor could not do if not to call it 'Occasional Depressive Mood', but i have been with that for the past 10-15 years !!! People around me telling me I had no reasons to feel like since I was not sick, I had a good job, good friends around me, etc...but inside...I FELT EMPTY !!! For the past 4-6 years... Headaches, Acid Reflux, Nausea, difficulty deciding on my work tasks, not being able to concentrate on a short video or movie more than 15 minutes, Sooo THANK you, i shall talk to my NEW doctor about it and see what goes from now on? I'll keep you post of any further news !!!
Very informative and helpful Douglas, I have been a dysthymic for 3 years and I'm just recently discovering that I've been suffering from this condition. All of the symptoms make sense and recently I have been losing sleep due to stress from my studies and the difficulties of being an international student low on money. Dysthymia is mostly improved by CBT in combination with anti-depressants. About the exercise, it helps a lot, I have yet to see someone engage in exercise and end up feeling worse. A good tip would be to put exercise in the morning and afternoon, I used to exercise in the evenings and it would leave me feeling so tired that I could not even sleep.
Been recently diagnosed with dysthymia. Thanks for this, especially for the little trivia in the end. Felt a bit more useful and significant from it.. Wishing for healing for everyone!
I’m living with sadness and low self steam since I was a child. But me and my family never saw this as a problem. I’m 22 years old. But now in medical school, with a lot of pressure, that symptoms have just got worse. I feel like a failure, not capable, joy doesn’t exist or when exists it’s just a moment. And symptoms goes on. I started treatment psychiatric and tried some therapists on the past years but didn’t feel improvement. Now on that pandemic phase that we are going through I got in another crisis. Started consulting with a new psychiatrist and yesterday we found the name for my sadness and miserable life! DYSTHYMIA. I’m felling better just for knowing that I’m not alone, have researches about it. Now I want to find a therapist that I really could express myself. Thanks Douglas for sharing your experience.
You’re welcome.. I wish you the best in finding a good therapist. There are also many lifestyle things to do when you have dysthymia. My favorite is intense exercise which changes my mood quickly
Hi jailinnekeller first of all, I must say that I am sorry that you are in this state of mind, of course, your comment is from three years ago, I hope things have improved now. I am 27 years old and I suffer from dysthymia and bipolar. It is also terribly difficult. When you wrote that the family does not see this as a problem at all, I remembered that a decade of my life was spent fighting and my parents never understood that I was facing suicidal thoughts and a devastating mental state. I started the treatment when I was a teenager and someone took me seriously and helped me. Now I am in a better condition. I have changed my lifestyle for a year now and I am receiving medicine again. I don't know how long my condition will last, but I hope that advanced medicines and treatments to be discovered for future generations. I thought that my efforts were going to pay off, but it seems that only my efforts make me survive without any important achievements. I am so tired of fighting. It is really encouraging to have a strong supporter who is by one's side and takes the illness seriously.
You don’t talk about heredity and dysthymia. My father had it and I got it in my early 30s and have had it about 30 years. Tried over 8 antidepressants with no real luck. It’s hard to do exercise when I have no energy, or to eat well and cook when I’m a real slump, which is a lot of the time. I’ve never felt better for exercising - just more tired usually. I walk the dog most days at least. Funny thing is that my mood isn’t usually bad, mainly my energy level is low and I have lack of interest in most things. I can easily sleep way too much if I let myself.
When I was diagnosed with dysthymia, personally, I was elated. For me it was the finial piece of the puzzle that I have working on with mental health professionals for 25 years. I have been diagnosed with dyslexia lite, an emotional disorder, anxiety disorder, chronic sever depression, PTSD, addictive personality, and because I was born with several heart conditions and a muscle spasm disorder, these created a more depressive life for myself. But being diagnosed with Dysthymia meant I finally knew where to start working on myself. So over the past 6 months things are getting much better than they have been in a decade or so. 6 months ago I started to use cannabis daily. High CBD in the morning and throughout the day and high THC when the sun goes down. Believe it or not the cannabis helped me make the decision to find, and focus on, an exercise programme I can do with my many health restrictions. I found DDPY, after only three months of easy workouts I'm showing abdominal muscles for the first time in my life and I've lost 60 lbs. Mentally, I feel happier, less angry, more positive, laughing harder, enjoying activities. I'm not saying things are perfect though. Higher price for medications, on top of the six chemical prescriptions I take for my heart. Then there's dealing with "people". I tend to not be able to deal with that certain type of egomania combined with stupidity that I see in some... most... you know what I mean. So there are slip ups, and refocus is needed. But is it nice to be able to understand one's self.
@@bastianbriceno3950 you may assume no they have not, but I assume they had, because I did as well (Zoloft, Lexapro) and they didn't help me at all. A small amount of cannabis does help reduce dysthmia for me, but it can increase anxiety and panic for me, so it's not a perfect solution. However, on some days when everything is gray and I just want to give up a little cannabis will help me get moving; to exercise, to do chores, to go that social engagement that I'm dreading. Be well
I went there a serious clinical depression and now have dystemia. It's a little fatiguing but so much better then serious depression. With coping tips you can live a good quality of life
Keep up the good work by sharing your experience and your knowledge. I suffered from dysthymia years ago for approximately 2 years and thankfully have been healed entirely. I would hate to ever find myself in that way of living ever again. I pray the same for you friend.
Thank you. I’m glad you are better. Continue to work on the maintenance skills that will keep your mood at an even balance. If you send me your email address, I can email you a color chart of self-care strategies that I found useful to maintain wellness.
It's a nasty cycle, as my dysthymia spurred binge episodes of carbs and kept me from exercising...when your health inevitably drops because of this horrible lifestyle, it makes the dysthymia even more prevalent in your daily thoughts.
After my first major episode I was diagnosed with this during my second episode. It's hell you manage to just hold it together. I could still only work 5 hrs a day but I kept going. Double depression is no joke.
I cycle from not bad to severe still. Much better than when I got ill again in 2008. Meditation helps me manage it. When I'm severe I don't actually believe it''s an illness, is that common?
This describes what I've felt all my life. Nothing about living gives me any pleasure. I am married and have children and grandchildren but life feels like more of a chore than anything else. As I get older I find myself being easily irritated by others because I just want them to leave me alone. I do exercise, practice yoga, and have attended church regularly since i was a child but in my experience with the churches I have attended have found that their "my way or the highway" attitude is of little help and more of hindrance to my well being. I discuss this with no one because even light depression in the community I grew up in is an evil spirit that should be rebuked and ignored and one should never admit to submitting to an evil spirit. I have also had some things that have happened that have caused me to sink into full depression but again to admit that would be accepting an evil spirit. I had begun to discuss these issues with my GP because he was one of the few that I felt I could be honest with but he retired more than years ago and the doctor who took his place is flippant with my care.
Dysthymia combined with anxieties and oversensitivity is a really fun combination, usually, dysthymia isn't crippling, but combined with a lot of stress, you got yourself a recipe for disaster. Sadly, for me, exercising doesn´t really help, not even if it´s to the point of exertion, I have never felt a high after exercising, my father has the same problem. it might be caused by the pain I experience after exercising, I have some minor handicaps that mostly come down to limited balance and spatial awareness, flat feet, shortened Achilles' tendons, and last but not least, mild scoliosis. This causes pain after exercising more often than not, be it back pain or sore feet, I think that might lessen, or even reverse the effect it has on my mood. Anyway, getting off track here. Eating nearly always helps against the depressed feelings, sadly that, combined with antipsychotics can result in tremendous weight gain, making it sometimes torturous to have to resist a near guarantee of feeling better immediately, for the sake of long-term health. Best thing I've found that helps against the depressed feelings is regularly going out to have lunch with someone I can talk with really well, it's a great distraction. Still, turning 20 in two weeks, yay? I've been dysthymic since my 13th, hell, how my life feels wasted...
Your life is not wasted. You have your whole life ahead of you. Keep working on your recovery and find a good therapist. It will pay off in the long run.
Yes, "Yay!"...you've already made it through some difficult times! What I've found that helps is turning to the great thinkers and artists - Plato, Dante, Beethoven, etc. Delve into profound thinkers. Today's culture mostly celebrates the bestial and the banal. Man is not an animal; he was born for something better. Abraham Lincoln is a great example, because he truly acted like a statesman and despite setbacks in his life, was devoted to saving the Union and healing the wounds of war. He used Shakespeare to teach his cabinet strategy. So, keep on going! In spite of all the bad stuff, Life can be beautiful.
MrWheelman82 same here. But we need to learn how to manage it. Always remember you're not the only one with dysthymia. There's lots of us like you dealing with it.
I thought you were about 40 until I read your age! I wish you a healthy life, since your life is just beginning.Don't give up!Find a therapist to help or a support group where you'll meet others with the same issues and can get advice from older people who have been where you are.
got my meds now. i didnt realize / remember that ”normality” was this amazing. i dont know if it sound healthy or is the first thing that comes to mind just medical euphoria but im feeling hopefull. for the first time in a long time
I am always tired. Even in times i've taken a nap or slept i feel sluggish and low, my symptoms can go from light to heavy, light being the days where i feel genuinely happy and not as low as heavy, heavy being days where i am sobbing, very low, very sluggish, feel like screaming, and generally experiencing a caged hell, my general mood is pretty low, and i have felt this way since i was around 6 years old, despite my symptoms i am still very skeptical and not sure if my symptoms are the result of hormones or Dysthymia. Please help diagnose.
It is probably dysthymia. But to be sure, you need to consult with a psychiatrist as well as doctor who specializes in treating hormone imbalances. See what they think.
I have Dysthemia which has been diagnosed professionally and your description sounds very similar to my general life experience with it. I would suggest getting that professional dx however as they can really show what best treatment is for you as an individual
That sounds more like me. For way too many years, everybody was bipolar. It was almost fashionable. I had an endurable low grade depression that could almost pass as normal. Then, something awful actually happened to me. I was left knowing what a major depressive episode is. Now my faithful friend is a low grade depression. I said fathful friend because he sticks beside me through everything. Always there. Because I can never be rid of him, I have had to make peace. So I take my medication like a good girl. He is still there, but I sleep much better at night. Exercise is also good. I used to have a gym membership, and go workout everyday. Nowadays, just getting up and making my dinner and cleaning house has to substitute. The awful part is the loneliness and boredom. I went three whole days this week without bathing or brushing my teeth. Or even seeing another human being. I really need to work on that.
Hi Douglas, thank you. I never considered this, and I have an appt Fri and am going to bring this topic up. much thanks for your direction to go in to continue finding explanations and strategies.
You are welcome. Also I will be doing a live You Tube Q&A video chat on my channel on Wednesday October 11 at 11 am Pacific Time. I hope you can tune in.
Thank you so much for the clear explanation of something that's overshadowed my life for so long. I've been tipped over into episodes of deep depression by traumatic life events & tragic losses - each time recovery has been even more difficult - I'm dealing with the ageing process & the challenges that brings on top of the other features of this condition. This insidious affliction needs a lot more exposure & understanding. I've exhausted myself by putting out a bubbly, wacky persona which is, effectively, denial. Quite a destructive coping strategy as, when I do 'crash', people who know me tend to dismiss it which sets me on a further downward loop. I don't want to get into the additional pain caused by others' thoughtlessness but it's so hard getting on day by day with no support & having to consciously avoid certain situations & people.
That's exactly how I've been for the last, well since I can remember. Stressful events recently produced a full blown depression. I'm better, but want to treat the dysthymia.
I've never seen anyone show the positive traits of a person that suffers from Dysthymia or any mental disorder really. I've had this since I was an adolescent and now at 28 I'm proactively trying to change my lifestyle and work on controlling negative thoughts. The latter has felt overwhelmingly difficult but I relate to some of these positive traits and want to work to feeling like it's ok to admit I may have some of them. This video feels like a starting point for me. Thank you Doug
reading the comments is making me both cry and feel relieved. So many truisms. Having not a single goal or aspiration. Pushing for healthy patterns only to feel the apathy return. What discipline is to exist when the world just widdles on as it does? Being static, unadventurous, uninspired. Most times, the words just feel pedantic and unheard - moreover a waste of breath. I hate having to exist to exist but don’t really have any desire to die or live. So i just keep puttering. becoming shallower and feverish each day. For somebody who feels deeply disconnected. it’s nice to have felt seen and heard in this comment section
I remember when i got to college. My mom said "i don't know why you're so sad, you used to be such a cheerful child" to what i responded "I'm not sad!" and then she was like "oh, so, are you happy?" and i just froze. i didn't feel happy, but i didn't also consider myself sad. The next year I kept thinking about this and came to the conclusion i was very empty inside. I didn't know it. but this is it. I think I've had this ever since 14 i think
Your post on low grade depression is very timely because the symptoms and the treatment options associated with it hqve baffled me until your post helped me understand that a healthy lifestyle and counseling can assist me with copying with low grade depression. This form of depression has its drawbacks and benefits, but anyone can live with low grade depression.
Thank you. You’ve just given me a name for how I’ve been feeling for the last couple years. I’m not sad, I’m not happy. I’ve lost interest in most things, but have no suicidal ideation. Been thinking about seeking Esketamine treatments. I want to feel some semblance of joy again.
Douglas Bloch , thank for the question. Answer, absolutely. I exercise consistently 4-5 days a week. High intensity strength and cardio full body. I also used to be a 50 mile a week runner, but had to give that up due to piriformis syndrome. Workouts do provide a couple hours of post workout feel good juice, but it subsided quickly.
Once a problem has been defined... It is half way solved ! As soon as I found out about Dysthymia.. I found out what was wrong with me. 75 % of Mr. Block's Quadrant graph is about Self-Help. Instantaneously after self-diagnosing with this condition, I was on my way excitedly forward with my life.
I'm 25 and was finally diagnosed with dysthymia after being wrongfully diagnosed as bipolar 2.5 years . I'm starting to realize I've been struggling since I was 7/8 years old with dysthymia. It was a long appointment to properly diagnose me but it was worth it. I don't know what I'll do next to help but I at least now know what it is. I feel less crazy.
Thank you Douglas... the description of the personality of they Dysthymic person just hit me on the face. I have to do something about it and the pandemic does not help either.
One of the more compassionate videos on dysthymia! Great. The thing about dysthymia is that it feels like you constantly have to keep yourself afloat to not sink into even deeper depression or be in a low mood all day. I often envy people who wake up ready to start the day, like that feeling is not reserved for me
after my mother died (I was only 16) I started my journey with depression. high school was horrible I was bullied... i got better after that but still... I have toxic family members... no friends and no love... I was only used and abused... according to your videos I'm not sure I passed my clinical depression or I'm now in the grey one... life is hard when you can't afford therapy... 😢 I hope I'll move to another country and start a new life... new me... thanks for putting such a quality content for free... kinds regards sir.
I'm glad that the video was helpful. In the United States there are free or low-cost mental health clinics in many cities. Do you have such services where you live?
Douglas Bloch thank you for responding I'm from Greece, I hope I'll move to another country (Scandinavian countries) due to work and I'll check some there. Thank you once again, have a wonderful day sir and keep up the great work.
I was diagnosed with dysthymia 3 years ago. I never had a name for those off days when even simple things could be hard. Like not remembering addresses and I have well developed visual memory for that stuff. Looking back it could be a few days and I could never figure it out. The woman I was talking to said fully functioning depressives are the hardest to diagnose. Apparently we have the episodes and find our happy place until the next time.
im 44 and when i was almost 11 years old my mom went to jail to serve a life sentence and it was rough and i never really got over it just keep on truckin but excercise really helps its like u can wake up n just be tired n confused and then workout 30 minutes and feel like u can deal with anything but i look at childhood pictures of before my mom went to prison and i was so happy , big smiles and i remember being a class clown and then after i was just kinda quiet n didnt have much interest in freinds or school , it put a hole in me i tried to fill with alcohol , drugs and anything that would make me feel better then in jail i found excercise works n basicly no side effects just dont workout so much u hurt yourself
Douglas,thank you for this video. My boyfriend has dysthymia and he has been feeling very bad lately. I am trying to be there for him as much as I can. I just want him to feel better. He is using three medications right now. He has taken a break from school as his condition has gotten worse. Some people say to me :"Just forget about spending a life with him, he is never going to get better. Even if he does the chances are he'll go through same things under a stress factor." But I love him so much. I try not to listen to them. Because I do want to spend a lifetime with him. He is an amazing person and I wanna help him. Do you have any suggestions for me? And also I wonder if this disease can be genetically transferred? Thanks again for this video,because I think this is a rare disease and not a lot of people know about this and I couldn't really find a lot of informative sources.
Do not listen to the people who say that your boyfriend is never going to get better. That is totally untrue. I have seen hundreds of people recover, some from serious mental illnesses. Your boyfriend CAN and WILL get better, and you are right to support him. He can consult with me and draw upon my experience if he wishes. In the meantime, here is a video that I made on helping someone who is depressed.ruclips.net/video/ZaWfcFH3wPI/видео.html
I am a sufferer and my bf is my hero. When I'm going through an episode i tend to feel numb except for negative emotions, but he is still there, telling me how beautiful i am, telling me he loves me, gives me a lot of hugs and makes me tea. When the horrible sluggish feeling takes over, he tells me to stay in bed. Only minutes ago he told me to stay in bed, i cried horribly on his shoulder, he made jokes and now has put a mug of tea next to me while he cleans. When he's done cleaning, we're gonna do something productive. The acts of love are comforting and help calm me down. Clean home, calms me down. Then, once calm, doing something productive snaps me out of it. All that being said, i don't take him for granted, i show as well as tell him how much i love and appreciate him, in ways he understands, ie, going to his games to watch him play, buying him his favorite junk and bing watching his fav tv shows, or watching his chess games and random youtube vids on history. When he feels like not doing anything, i take care of him.
It can be passed down.I married a man with bipolar disorder and one of my children inherited it.And my husband hasn't improved much.I also went through the "wanting to help him" syndrome.I wouldn't recommend marrying him unless you really know what you're getting into.It's probably not as bad as what my husband suffers from, so maybe he'll become more functional if he has a good dr and correct meds.Good luck.
Hi, thank you so much for doing this video. In my experience, I always have lack of energy, I'm always tired, i feel like i drag, my whole family and friends says thst I'm extremely "lazy" and it's overwhelming because I feel incapable to take action, I feel that my head and body are heavy, i don't know what to do because i go to theraphy two years ago and she has never diagnosed me anything. I don't know what to do and I'm feeling that my whole life is overwhelmed by this situation, what can I do? Who can diagnose this accurately? I'm from colombia, thank you so much.
Go find a good psychiatrist or a psychiatric nurse practitioner. You may need to get on a low dose of an antidepressant. My book healing from depression outlines a self-directed program that can help you to heal from dysthymia. www.amazon.com/Healing-Depression-Weeks-Better-Mood/dp/0892541555/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
You’re not alone. I know that doesn’t help the situation but don’t think you have some alienating problem that nobody understands like I’ve felt. I’m 43 and have had this since I was a kid. Just diagnosed this year. For the longest time I thought I was some abnormal freak because nobody around me seemed to understand. I hope your feeling a bit better these days.
I love talking to people and I like people but I don't want to get out of bed in the morning and have lost interest in my old hobbies.....am I depressed and having trouble sleeping...
@@DouglasBloch Yes and all he is trying to do is taper me off of klonopin that I take at night because I had stopped sleeping and then when I wake up at 3 AM he says take a Benadryl, or Visteral, or Trazodone (which doesn't work) or Remeron(which doesn't work).or Melatonin which makes me sick......this doctor says I am not depressed, but something has happened to my brain....and I think I have panic too......GAD .......I am 76......when I was in my 50's and 60's...it seemed that PremPro hormones helped....I am also dealing with my mother's dementia and I think if I had a husband or extended family....I would not be depressed....
I've had this since adolescence. It ruined my life, completely changed who I would've become. I try not dwell on the past, because I can't get those 30 years and missed opportunities back. I can only be grateful for the final realization that I'm ill, and not to be blamed. I'm now working toward a healthy mind and body, and to maybe finally find peace and happiness.
I can relate with this. I lost the biggest opportunity of my life because of my mental state that time
I have been dysthymic my entire life. I couldn't put a word to my condition because I just thought that this was the way that everybody felt. It wasn't until I realized that it was impossible for me to feel joy that something actually WAS wrong with me. This has been an enlightening video. Thanks Douglas.
You are welcome. Fortunately, there are ways that you can help your brain to feel that pleasure such as therapy, lifestyle habits, and sometimes medication that's the purpose of this channel is to share these coping strategies. You might also want to look at my book called Healing From Depression: A Body, Mind and Spirit Recovery Program
I feel like a spectator to eveything around me, I'm just here watching eveything and eveyone around me go about their business. Not a part of it....just watching.
Relatable
And yet we are all part of it. But if that helps you, then there you go.
I have been going what you have described all my life.
@@stevecarol686 I'm not sure i will ever feel part of this world. Doesn't matter where I am or who's around me i just feel detached from it. Like an imposter goin thru the motions to fit in. Trying to find out if i have autism spectrum disorder/ asbergers because I have a lot of the traits. It would explain a lot of why I am the way I am.
@@tlenkeeb829 I am sorry for your illness. But bigots who cause you pain will in the long term always fail. I have felt detached from society from an early age. It is exceptionally difficult to deal with this either from the sufferer's position to the person who just wants to help.
I loved the last part where you put emphasis on positive traits of people with dysthymia.
So did I
Lol, I think I missed that.
Both Eeyore and Charlie Brown suffer from dysthymia.
Movies romanticize dysthymia as meloncholia.
Living in the gray zone, exactly.
Dysthymia is awful in the sense that it seems there's never relief. I have it...and the hardest part is trying to navigate people's attitudes more than anything. In America if one isn't grinning from ear to ear, and being an all around cheerleader, you're basically considered a Debbie Downer. For years I tried to fight the DD in me...but now I accept her as being a part of me but not what defines me...and part of the healing process has been to get rid of people who don't understand, and negatively judge depression from my life. That's the healthiest thing I could've ever done.
Zipemova yes I have it and i lost y bff that I’ve had for 47 years she was supposed to be the “nice “ one and understanding one and funny is she got a degree in psychology hoping to be a therapist and yet didn’t stand by me nor even notice
Go you.
@@peggysullivan5396 same. Exact same
I went my whole life with this, and never even understood. I just didn't get any pleasure from life, but that seemed to be normal to me. I would see happy go people, and would just rationalize "well, that's because I'm useless/a failure/an error of nature" and so on. When I tried to voice out my feeling the answer with be either "get a girl!" or "what you need is a solid work! Go work, you lazy piece!". And well, I got the girl and I went to work, and still all the feelings persisted. F*ck...
Well, now you have a name to put on your condition, What you have is not your fault. Millions of Americans have dysthymia, and it is treatable. If you email me, I will send you a chart showing some of the lifestyle actives that will help your mood. douglasbloch@gmail.com
Awight! I replied just now :)
@@DouglasBloch Would it be ok if I ask you to send me the information as well? I am agonizing daily about this (self diagnosed) condition of mine. I do not want to consider medication so any alternative treatment option is worth exploring
You can still dwell in momentary pleasure, even when "life itself" doesn't do that for you. I am sure you got humor, and laugh when you find something to be funny.
Op
I have this dysthymia. I think I've probably had it since I started adolescents.
Swimming really helps me. It quiets my mind. I breathe deeper. The cool water eases muscle aches.
I also love horseback riding. When I ride or am just near a horse I am calmed. I just think about how beautiful she is.
I also must stay in the present moment when i arm riding a horse.. Being present and "in the now" is a great way to give yourself a break. Also if I have a sour thought or if I say something negative to myself I'll say. "STOP!". I will not stay with that thought. It takes persistence though. Just keep at it. Say nice things to yourself. Say, "I did great today!" Be your own best friend. Talk to yourself like you are a good friend or a kindly aunt. Wise, gentle words. Forgive yourself for not being perfect. You are perfectly imperfect.
It sounds like you have found some really good tools to help you with your mood. I am impressed. Keep up the good work
If your mind needs to be made more quiet, it sounds like you have anxiety?
Swimming is my life!!
Thanks Ellen.
I also find that a good way. To know that one is not ones thoughts, and if such a formulated impulse-thought comes I am aware of it and reformulate it untill it actually expresses what I am feeling. I started doing that myself about 7 years ago or so. And I can say it really brings some more and more clarity over time. I never felt being worthless, or not being enough, because I am doing that and because I don't take too serious (or at all) what people say who rather spout out their (very often) stupid and not accurately formulated impulses, instead of reflecting what actully was.
This explains the years 2007-2013 in my young adult life. I spent that time going back and forth between assuming I must be depressed but realizing I was too high functioning. I got out of bed everyday and lived my life in a fog. I did nothing to deal with this unnamed problem.
I finally got out of that slump when I started my previous job. The work added meaning to my life and my manager built my self esteem. I still have a tendency towards dark thoughts and down moods but I am eternally grateful to my manager and the belief she had in me.
There is hope. Life gets better.
Thanks for your testimony
It's a bit of a Catch 22 - simply the idea of exercising exhausts me.
That is true of many people with depression. Perhaps you could start by just taking a walk around the block.+DEBI JANE
DEBI JANE ditto
@@MsYajvi That's a ditto from me too 😬
You need to push yourself its very hard i know but you have to 😧
I can't get out of bed now which is why I am watching the video
I will eventually get up and go to lunch with a friend and try to walk on beach
You are quickly turning into an old friend, with help offered by one experienced survivor to a less experienced one on the battleground of these brain illnesses. Thank you.
Thanks Dave. I'm glad that my videos are helping. Are you seeing a therapist to help you with your depression recovery?
Douglas Bloch hello, yes. I have a few professionals helping me. I'm a few weeks into medication. And some non traditional help, however, the hopelessness hasn't shifted as yet. But I'm still standing. Thanks for asking.
Dave Pickell hi how are you now? ❤️
I just exercised right now it was so hard to get there but it was good afterwards
For me it is being relieved because it's over. So I don't even start, lol. But I understand that for some people it is different. xD
Everything is “meh”
Is that what sheep feel?
I have this and social anxiety. Fun shit.
Update: Add in some Imposter syndrome as well.
That is literally how I described thes to my friend earlier hahaha
@@Buddy_7522 Same. Fun shit indeed!
basically I feel like a psychopath
I have been diagnosed with dysthymia. And, contrary to its definition, is quite debilitating. I have had it for over 20 years.
Its actually heartbreaking when i hear the definition with "less serious". I feel that it needs to be redefined with better wording, or maybe just not compared in that way.
Do you have a temperament similar to this man?
It’s horrible as it is always there. You can have good days but you can almost guarantee the next morning you will be back to feeling meh
@@browneyez1559I think his temperament is all his own.
I was diagnosed with Dysthymia 6 years ago, although my psychiatrist reckons I've had it most of my life.
I am currently having CBT Therapy, which is helping tremendously.
Thankyou for your channel.
Nothing ever gets better. It’s just the same feeling of grayness every day.
I've been there. What coping strategies have you tried to improve your mood?
This makes a lot of sense. I don’t look or act like your typical “depressed” person but I know it’s definitely there. For many years or just not feeling happy and experiencing every symptom, but not to the point of non functional. Just living with it. Also the double depression thing gets me, too.
Join the club. There are a number of things that we can do to raise your mood, such as exercise, diet, getting good sleep, social support, having a routine, spirituality, psychotherapy. I have a diagram with 45 of the strategies that you can have if you wish
Been feeling low on life for as long I can remember. I have eaten all kind of nature suppliments, tried weight lift and do walks, eat food high in vitamins and go to bed early but even so I always feel fatigued, so much so that I do no longer care to excersise or follow any good sleep patterns. The worst part about my dysthymia is I have no intrests or goals in life, literaly none, I only do things I have to do, not because I want to, nothing brings me joy in life. I am only 26 years old and I fear the future, wondering how I will be able to live through life as I am totaly dead inside. The result of this being made me do opiodes last year as it is the only time in my life I can feel good inside, sad but true.
Have you talk to a psychiatrist or other prescriber about possibly going on medication? Also you should talk with your doctor to see if you have an under active thyroid gland which often is the cause of depression. Make sure you rule out all of the medical conditions that can cause depression
40 been feeling down dead most of my life too. Human nature and lot of people using me has not helped.
Wow, I am going through the exact same situation. 26 yr old and have no goals or ambitions, no life in me. I feel like a dead person everyday. The things I used to enjoy such as my art has become such a difficult chore that I don’t want to put it the effort to finish them. I have ideas and fantasies that give me a rush for five minutes, then I crash just to crawl in bed and spend the day sleeping. I hate the way I am, it feels like I’m trapped in a heavy human body that won’t let me do anything.
26 too, same situation.
@@readingwolf108 set a goal. Why not display your art? Have a showing? Invite friends & family. Serve some food hang your art work on the wall for those to see. Having a goal, like the show might get you back to creating art.
Very informative video Douglas. I have applied some of the principles you talk about and I am doing much better...spending less time in the gray fog. Best wishes to you sir. Your work is impacting so many lives and helping people find a positive path to walk down.
Thanks Jon. I also wanted to let you know about a crowdfunding site that I have started to help me continue to make my videos and websites. Please feel no obligation to contribute, but if you would like to take a look, here is the website.
www.patreon.com/douglasbloch
I have to love u tube for helping us all feel less alone.
Learn to like yourself more and dysthymia will be less and less an issue. We’re special people.
See the thing is, they say “exercise” or “eat properly”. But even that is pretty hard for me.
Yes, these things are hard. It helps to get the encouragement of others
Inshanitythewriter it’s very worth it . The second part of my workout and the rest of the day after it are usually the best parts of the day for me . And it gets better and better .
Even without appetite, hunger will make one eat. Just the most nessesary sometimes, but still. At leat you won't get too fat, right? xD
I hate doing both of these things as well, maybe you need to find something you really like. But I am sure you've heard all of that as well as me.
I'm coming out of this right now. after 2 and a half years of analytic therapy and some light antidepressants. the really nasty thing is, that this is so light... that noone notices. I've been suffering from it as long as I can remember. people saw me cry more than was normal... but noone had the time to look propperly and noone did or said anything. so I thought it was normal and I just had to pull myself together. and I became really good at that. it took me 25 years to realise that something was really wrong. 1 year to find a therapist. and yea.. after 2 and a half years of therapy I'm pretty good. I've connected to myself. wich makes so many things so much easier. social encounters that I could only manage by rehearsing the conversations in my head... and learning from past mistakes... like an AI trying to become human.... these things now just happen. it's magic.
Thank you. I am going through a rough patch and your videos help me make it through the day
I’m glad that I could be of help.
Thank you Douglas very much. You’ve helped me and inspired me to help others live a better meaningful life.
Thank you for being not just very smart but also so willing to help others. You have just described me.
I'm glad it was helpful
I am 65 years old and knew that I have suffered from low grade depression all of my life but never knew until very recently that there is a medical term for it. This video was very helpful. Thank you!
You’re welcome. I hope you are finding some good ways to manage the condition.
Same with me. I am 60 yrs old. I have felt this way my whole life. And as I look back it makes a lot of sense. Never interested in passionate about anything. Just trying not to feel down every day
I have been on anti depressants as long as I can remember. Dont think I could function without them.
Finally, a name to the feeling I live with every day. There is so little information out there unless one is in a major depression or is bi-polar. I never have manic highs, but I never feel so low that I cannot function as required. The loss of joy. You have helped me to understand and I thank you. I've just become a subscriber to learn more on this journey.
Sometimes I think about my situation and say, was this life?
For a decade, anxiety and depression, and when I sleep, it's all negative dreams. When I wake up, I see my illness and loneliness. Medicine, exercise and all these positive things, I really don't know why I don't see much effect. Depression has to pass a decade of my efforts to come to a conclusion.
Devastating is the only word I can use. It's just that depression is not permanent, the fear of the return of mania is a different story.
This mental crisis and seeing the people around me who are healthy people gives me a hard feeling of loneliness. I wish I could get better one day.
I have had much success with many of the tools you recommend, including exercise, meditation, social interaction, light therapy and nutrition and I want to encourage people to try this route and hang in there. It comes and goes but it definitely can get better. And it's a good thing to be a serious, deep, responsible person. Lincoln has always been my hero and I can relate to his suffering.
I feel the same way about Lincoln. One of the great heroes of American history
what an eye-opener learning about dysthymia has been. I feel like I found the missing page from my brain user manual. Thank you.
It's very informative, thank you, Douglas.
You are welcome Nancy. I will be doing another live video chat on Wednesday at 11 am Pacific Time.
hi Doug I hope that you are getting better mate, worried about you pal, last post I saw you were really in a low. Mate whatever you are going through at this moment and how hard, please please please don’t ever give up hope mate people out here thinking about you and wishing you goodness, kindness, happiness and healing. YOU a have a very important role in this world. Please stay safe and keep talking to those around you buddy. ❤
Love the Eeyore reference. I suffer from dysthymia and have been referred to as Eeyore
I will now look up what an eeyore is, because I forgot. xD
I remember when a year ago i visited a therapist for the first time
And i described my situation as "I always felt that way, but it got worse"
Now I realize that it was double depression
I thought it was normal to feel this way
I never took that seriously because I'm a teen and it's probably "just puberty"
I was diagnosed with dysthymia when i was 13, i feel like i've wasted my entire life, i'm so tired.
Have you reached out for professional help?
Thank you for these videos.Not many speak about such problems.
Greeting from Montréal, Québec, Canada !!! THANK YOU Mr. Bloch, you have FINALLY put a name on my emotional/mental situation, wich my doctor could not do if not to call it 'Occasional Depressive Mood', but i have been with that for the past 10-15 years !!! People around me telling me I had no reasons to feel like since I was not sick, I had a good job, good friends around me, etc...but inside...I FELT EMPTY !!! For the past 4-6 years... Headaches, Acid Reflux, Nausea, difficulty deciding on my work tasks, not being able to concentrate on a short video or movie more than 15 minutes, Sooo THANK you, i shall talk to my NEW doctor about it and see what goes from now on? I'll keep you post of any further news !!!
Thanks. Let me know. Dysthymia is very common in the United States.
Very informative and helpful Douglas, I have been a dysthymic for 3 years and I'm just recently discovering that I've been suffering from this condition. All of the symptoms make sense and recently I have been losing sleep due to stress from my studies and the difficulties of being an international student low on money. Dysthymia is mostly improved by CBT in combination with anti-depressants.
About the exercise, it helps a lot, I have yet to see someone engage in exercise and end up feeling worse. A good tip would be to put exercise in the morning and afternoon, I used to exercise in the evenings and it would leave me feeling so tired that I could not even sleep.
Oh thank you for pointing out the positive traits that come along with what seems to be my "nature"!
Hello Douglas,
I've stumbled across your channel on utube and want you to know I'm enjoying listening to your talks.
Best,
Been recently diagnosed with dysthymia. Thanks for this, especially for the little trivia in the end. Felt a bit more useful and significant from it..
Wishing for healing for everyone!
Thank you very much, Mr. Bloch.
I’m living with sadness and low self steam since I was a child. But me and my family never saw this as a problem. I’m 22 years old. But now in medical school, with a lot of pressure, that symptoms have just got worse. I feel like a failure, not capable, joy doesn’t exist or when exists it’s just a moment. And symptoms goes on. I started treatment psychiatric and tried some therapists on the past years but didn’t feel improvement. Now on that pandemic phase that we are going through I got in another crisis. Started consulting with a new psychiatrist and yesterday we found the name for my sadness and miserable life! DYSTHYMIA. I’m felling better just for knowing that I’m not alone, have researches about it. Now I want to find a therapist that I really could express myself. Thanks Douglas for sharing your experience.
You’re welcome.. I wish you the best in finding a good therapist. There are also many lifestyle things to do when you have dysthymia. My favorite is intense exercise which changes my mood quickly
Hi jailinnekeller first of all, I must say that I am sorry that you are in this state of mind, of course, your comment is from three years ago, I hope things have improved now. I am 27 years old and I suffer from dysthymia and bipolar. It is also terribly difficult. When you wrote that the family does not see this as a problem at all, I remembered that a decade of my life was spent fighting and my parents never understood that I was facing suicidal thoughts and a devastating mental state. I started the treatment when I was a teenager and someone took me seriously and helped me. Now I am in a better condition. I have changed my lifestyle for a year now and I am receiving medicine again. I don't know how long my condition will last, but I hope that advanced medicines and treatments to be discovered for future generations.
I thought that my efforts were going to pay off, but it seems that only my efforts make me survive without any important achievements.
I am so tired of fighting.
It is really encouraging to have a strong supporter who is by one's side and takes the illness seriously.
You don’t talk about heredity and dysthymia. My father had it and I got it in my early 30s and have had it about 30 years. Tried over 8 antidepressants with no real luck. It’s hard to do exercise when I have no energy, or to eat well and cook when I’m a real slump, which is a lot of the time. I’ve never felt better for exercising - just more tired usually. I walk the dog most days at least. Funny thing is that my mood isn’t usually bad, mainly my energy level is low and I have lack of interest in most things. I can easily sleep way too much if I let myself.
Love your videos as they help me feel less alone with my chronic gutted feeling for decades xxxxx and I love all the Pooh stories of course 💚🌟✨
Hope to see you on a live chat
When I was diagnosed with dysthymia, personally, I was elated. For me it was the finial piece of the puzzle that I have working on with mental health professionals for 25 years. I have been diagnosed with dyslexia lite, an emotional disorder, anxiety disorder, chronic sever depression, PTSD, addictive personality, and because I was born with several heart conditions and a muscle spasm disorder, these created a more depressive life for myself. But being diagnosed with Dysthymia meant I finally knew where to start working on myself. So over the past 6 months things are getting much better than they have been in a decade or so. 6 months ago I started to use cannabis daily. High CBD in the morning and throughout the day and high THC when the sun goes down. Believe it or not the cannabis helped me make the decision to find, and focus on, an exercise programme I can do with my many health restrictions. I found DDPY, after only three months of easy workouts I'm showing abdominal muscles for the first time in my life and I've lost 60 lbs. Mentally, I feel happier, less angry, more positive, laughing harder, enjoying activities. I'm not saying things are perfect though. Higher price for medications, on top of the six chemical prescriptions I take for my heart. Then there's dealing with "people". I tend to not be able to deal with that certain type of egomania combined with stupidity that I see in some... most... you know what I mean. So there are slip ups, and refocus is needed. But is it nice to be able to understand one's self.
uh hello you ever try meds for dhysthamia like anti depresants?
@@bastianbriceno3950 you may assume no they have not, but I assume they had, because I did as well (Zoloft, Lexapro) and they didn't help me at all. A small amount of cannabis does help reduce dysthmia for me, but it can increase anxiety and panic for me, so it's not a perfect solution. However, on some days when everything is gray and I just want to give up a little cannabis will help me get moving; to exercise, to do chores, to go that social engagement that I'm dreading. Be well
I went there a serious clinical depression and now have dystemia. It's a little fatiguing but so much better then serious depression. With coping tips you can live a good quality of life
Super informative and clear. I like your lifestyle remedies and have been following them. Thank you.
If you email me, I will send you a really nice diagram of all of my lifestyle habits
Keep up the good work by sharing your experience and your knowledge. I suffered from dysthymia years ago for approximately 2 years and thankfully have been healed entirely. I would hate to ever find myself in that way of living ever again. I pray the same for you friend.
Thank you. I’m glad you are better. Continue to work on the maintenance skills that will keep your mood at an even balance. If you send me your email address, I can email you a color chart of self-care strategies that I found useful to maintain wellness.
For sure! Is there a way to send it to you personally?
Send me your email address to douglasbloch@gmail.com
How did you get healed? I thought essentially it is a genetic predisposition and needs to get controlled mainly through meds?
Glad to hear I hope to heal from dysthymia as well
It's a nasty cycle, as my dysthymia spurred binge episodes of carbs and kept me from exercising...when your health inevitably drops because of this horrible lifestyle, it makes the dysthymia even more prevalent in your daily thoughts.
"Dysthymia is me, too much loss, abuse and grief in a short time.
“ if it is a good morning... which i doubt” that hit me hard
Hi Douglas. Great you are presenting here. ❤. Mitzi
After my first major episode I was diagnosed with this during my second episode. It's hell you manage to just hold it together. I could still only work 5 hrs a day but I kept going. Double depression is no joke.
It is no joke. Are you back to just dysthymia?
I cycle from not bad to severe still. Much better than when I got ill again in 2008. Meditation helps me manage it. When I'm severe I don't actually believe it''s an illness, is that common?
D Fine That sounds remarkably like bipolar....
This describes what I've felt all my life. Nothing about living gives me any pleasure. I am married and have children and grandchildren but life feels like more of a chore than anything else. As I get older I find myself being easily irritated by others because I just want them to leave me alone. I do exercise, practice yoga, and have attended church regularly since i was a child but in my experience with the churches I have attended have found that their "my way or the highway" attitude is of little help and more of hindrance to my well being. I discuss this with no one because even light depression in the community I grew up in is an evil spirit that should be rebuked and ignored and one should never admit to submitting to an evil spirit.
I have also had some things that have happened that have caused me to sink into full depression but again to admit that would be accepting an evil spirit. I had begun to discuss these issues with my GP because he was one of the few that I felt I could be honest with but he retired more than years ago and the doctor who took his place is flippant with my care.
There are many good counselors out there who would understand what you were going through and would empathize. You could also look for a support group
Dysthymia combined with anxieties and oversensitivity is a really fun combination, usually, dysthymia isn't crippling, but combined with a lot of stress, you got yourself a recipe for disaster.
Sadly, for me, exercising doesn´t really help, not even if it´s to the point of exertion, I have never felt a high after exercising, my father has the same problem.
it might be caused by the pain I experience after exercising, I have some minor handicaps that mostly come down to limited balance and spatial awareness, flat feet, shortened Achilles' tendons, and last but not least, mild scoliosis. This causes pain after exercising more often than not, be it back pain or sore feet, I think that might lessen, or even reverse the effect it has on my mood.
Anyway, getting off track here.
Eating nearly always helps against the depressed feelings, sadly that, combined with antipsychotics can result in tremendous weight gain, making it sometimes torturous to have to resist a near guarantee of feeling better immediately, for the sake of long-term health.
Best thing I've found that helps against the depressed feelings is regularly going out to have lunch with someone I can talk with really well, it's a great distraction.
Still, turning 20 in two weeks, yay? I've been dysthymic since my 13th, hell, how my life feels wasted...
Your life is not wasted. You have your whole life ahead of you. Keep working on your recovery and find a good therapist. It will pay off in the long run.
Yes, "Yay!"...you've already made it through some difficult times! What I've found that helps is turning to the great thinkers and artists - Plato, Dante, Beethoven, etc. Delve into profound thinkers. Today's culture mostly celebrates the bestial and the banal. Man is not an animal; he was born for something better. Abraham Lincoln is a great example, because he truly acted like a statesman and despite setbacks in his life, was devoted to saving the Union and healing the wounds of war. He used Shakespeare to teach his cabinet strategy. So, keep on going! In spite of all the bad stuff, Life can be beautiful.
MrWheelman82 same here. But we need to learn how to manage it. Always remember you're not the only one with dysthymia. There's lots of us like you dealing with it.
I thought you were about 40 until I read your age! I wish you a healthy life, since your life is just beginning.Don't give up!Find a therapist to help or a support group where you'll meet others with the same issues and can get advice from older people who have been where you are.
Bro same can we friends maybe it'll help us both my Instagram is is achalsharma_
Douglas, thank you for making this video and sharing your ideas. It makes an impact on my life even if for only moments.
You're very welcome
got my meds now. i didnt realize / remember that ”normality” was this amazing. i dont know if it sound healthy or is the first thing that comes to mind just medical euphoria but im feeling hopefull. for the first time in a long time
thank you Douglas ❤️
You really helped me to understand myself! Knowing this will help a lot when i'm starring therapy!!! Thank you❤
I am always tired. Even in times i've taken a nap or slept i feel sluggish and low, my symptoms can go from light to heavy, light being the days where i feel genuinely happy and not as low as heavy, heavy being days where i am sobbing, very low, very sluggish, feel like screaming, and generally experiencing a caged hell, my general mood is pretty low, and i have felt this way since i was around 6 years old, despite my symptoms i am still very skeptical and not sure if my symptoms are the result of hormones or Dysthymia. Please help diagnose.
It is probably dysthymia. But to be sure, you need to consult with a psychiatrist as well as doctor who specializes in treating hormone imbalances. See what they think.
I have Dysthemia which has been diagnosed professionally and your description sounds very similar to my general life experience with it. I would suggest getting that professional dx however as they can really show what best treatment is for you as an individual
C.C Honii not sure if you’re male of female but hormones okay a huge role .
That sounds more like me. For way too many years, everybody was bipolar. It was almost fashionable. I had an endurable low grade depression that could almost pass as normal. Then, something awful actually happened to me. I was left knowing what a major depressive episode is.
Now my faithful friend is a low grade depression. I said fathful friend because he sticks beside me through everything. Always there. Because I can never be rid of him, I have had to make peace. So I take my medication like a good girl. He is still there, but I sleep much better at night. Exercise is also good. I used to have a gym membership, and go workout everyday. Nowadays, just getting up and making my dinner and cleaning house has to substitute.
The awful part is the loneliness and boredom. I went three whole days this week without bathing or brushing my teeth. Or even seeing another human being. I really need to work on that.
Are you med tolerant or they never made you feel happy? cheers.
Hi Douglas, thank you. I never considered this, and I have an appt Fri and am going to bring this topic up. much thanks for your direction to go in to continue finding explanations and strategies.
You're welcome. Let me know what the doctor thinks in terms of your having dysthymia ? +Pink Peony
Thank you Douglas.
You're my ray of light x
You are welcome. Also I will be doing a live You Tube Q&A video chat on my channel on Wednesday October 11 at 11 am Pacific Time. I hope you can tune in.
After I was first diagnosed with depression when I was 14 my mom bought me an eyore plush. needless to say I was touched but also cried a lot
Thank you so much for the clear explanation of something that's overshadowed my life for so long. I've been tipped over into episodes of deep depression by traumatic life events & tragic losses - each time recovery has been even more difficult - I'm dealing with the ageing process & the challenges that brings on top of the other features of this condition. This insidious affliction needs a lot more exposure & understanding. I've exhausted myself by putting out a bubbly, wacky persona which is, effectively, denial. Quite a destructive coping strategy as, when I do 'crash', people who know me tend to dismiss it which sets me on a further downward loop. I don't want to get into the additional pain caused by others' thoughtlessness but it's so hard getting on day by day with no support & having to consciously avoid certain situations & people.
You might want to find a good therapist to talk with and create a relationship where you can express your authentic self
That's exactly how I've been for the last, well since I can remember. Stressful events recently produced a full blown depression. I'm better, but want to treat the dysthymia.
Thanks Douglas! This was very informative!! Keep up the great job you are doing!
Thanks Evelyn. Did you identify with the diagnosis?
hi doug
very helpful. thanks. i
''ve been in the gray zone since age 14. 60 years ago. time to move out
God bless you
I'm glad the video was helpful
I've never seen anyone show the positive traits of a person that suffers from Dysthymia or any mental disorder really. I've had this since I was an adolescent and now at 28 I'm proactively trying to change my lifestyle and work on controlling negative thoughts. The latter has felt overwhelmingly difficult but I relate to some of these positive traits and want to work to feeling like it's ok to admit I may have some of them. This video feels like a starting point for me. Thank you Doug
You’re welcome.
reading the comments is making me both cry and feel relieved. So many truisms. Having not a single goal or aspiration. Pushing for healthy patterns only to feel the apathy return. What discipline is to exist when the world just widdles on as it does? Being static, unadventurous, uninspired. Most times, the words just feel pedantic and unheard - moreover a waste of breath. I hate having to exist to exist but don’t really have any desire to die or live. So i just keep puttering. becoming shallower and feverish each day.
For somebody who feels deeply disconnected. it’s nice to have felt seen and heard in this comment section
Thanks for the reinforcement about lifestyle factors like exercise, meditation, and diet as ways to manage dysthymia.
You’re welcome.
Nostalgic tunes n nostalgic memories of the city n countryside can help
Great video Mr Bloch.
Thank you
I remember when i got to college. My mom said "i don't know why you're so sad, you used to be such a cheerful child" to what i responded "I'm not sad!" and then she was like "oh, so, are you happy?" and i just froze. i didn't feel happy, but i didn't also consider myself sad. The next year I kept thinking about this and came to the conclusion i was very empty inside.
I didn't know it. but this is it. I think I've had this ever since 14 i think
Amazing video sir. Thank you.
Your post on low grade depression is very timely because the symptoms and the treatment options associated with it hqve baffled me until your post helped me understand that a healthy lifestyle and counseling can assist me with copying with low grade depression. This form of depression has its drawbacks and benefits, but anyone can live with low grade depression.
I'm glad the video was helpful
I love dysthymia, it's made my life a thrill.
No kidding.
One of the traits: Sarcasm 🤣
It’s just fucking great!
Welcome to my P-a-r-t-y!!!
Thank you Douglas
You are welcome.
Thank you. You’ve just given me a name for how I’ve been feeling for the last couple years. I’m not sad, I’m not happy. I’ve lost interest in most things, but have no suicidal ideation. Been thinking about seeking Esketamine treatments. I want to feel some semblance of joy again.
Feeling some semblance of joy is a good goal. Have you tried intense exercise?
Douglas Bloch , thank for the question. Answer, absolutely. I exercise consistently 4-5 days a week. High intensity strength and cardio full body. I also used to be a 50 mile a week runner, but had to give that up due to piriformis syndrome. Workouts do provide a couple hours of post workout feel good juice, but it subsided quickly.
Thank you Douglas for showing us the Thymus Tap....I will try that!
Let me know how it works
Doug, I appreciate you 🙂
Thank you
Once a problem has been defined... It is half way solved ! As soon as I found out about Dysthymia.. I found out what was wrong with me. 75 % of Mr. Block's Quadrant graph is about Self-Help. Instantaneously after self-diagnosing with this condition, I was on my way excitedly forward with my life.
Tako je! Šteta sto doktorovi videi nemaju prevod na sve jezike.🙋♀️
thank you fo this vid it helps me in living in the gray zone
Try having this and trying to cope with a 2 year old. So hard 😔
I suffer from dysthymia. My wife puts me down and she actually calls me Eeyore.
I'm 25 and was finally diagnosed with dysthymia after being wrongfully diagnosed as bipolar 2.5 years .
I'm starting to realize I've been struggling since I was 7/8 years old with dysthymia. It was a long appointment to properly diagnose me but it was worth it. I don't know what I'll do next to help but I at least now know what it is. I feel less crazy.
Thank you Douglas... the description of the personality of they Dysthymic person just hit me on the face. I have to do something about it and the pandemic does not help either.
One of the more compassionate videos on dysthymia! Great. The thing about dysthymia is that it feels like you constantly have to keep yourself afloat to not sink into even deeper depression or be in a low mood all day. I often envy people who wake up ready to start the day, like that feeling is not reserved for me
after my mother died (I was only 16) I started my journey with depression. high school was horrible I was bullied... i got better after that but still... I have toxic family members... no friends and no love... I was only used and abused... according to your videos I'm not sure I passed my clinical depression or I'm now in the grey one... life is hard when you can't afford therapy... 😢 I hope I'll move to another country and start a new life... new me... thanks for putting such a quality content for free... kinds regards sir.
I'm glad that the video was helpful. In the United States there are free or low-cost mental health clinics in many cities. Do you have such services where you live?
Douglas Bloch
thank you for responding
I'm from Greece, I hope I'll move to another country (Scandinavian countries) due to work and I'll check some there. Thank you once again, have a wonderful day sir and keep up the great work.
Thanks Douglas!
You are welcome.
Thank you!!!! This has been very helpful!
You are welcome.
I was diagnosed with dysthymia 3 years ago. I never had a name for those off days when even simple things could be hard. Like not remembering addresses and I have well developed visual memory for that stuff. Looking back it could be a few days and I could never figure it out. The woman I was talking to said fully functioning depressives are the hardest to diagnose. Apparently we have the episodes and find our happy place until the next time.
thank you sir this was really informative
im 44 and when i was almost 11 years old my mom went to jail to serve a life sentence and it was rough and i never really got over it just keep on truckin but excercise really helps its like u can wake up n just be tired n confused and then workout 30 minutes and feel like u can deal with anything but i look at childhood pictures of before my mom went to prison and i was so happy , big smiles and i remember being a class clown and then after i was just kinda quiet n didnt have much interest in freinds or school , it put a hole in me i tried to fill with alcohol , drugs and anything that would make me feel better then in jail i found excercise works n basicly no side effects just dont workout so much u hurt yourself
I'm glad you're taking better care of yourself.
Graat video thank you. I hadn't even heard of this. I think i might have it.
Douglas,thank you for this video. My boyfriend has dysthymia and he has been feeling very bad lately. I am trying to be there for him as much as I can. I just want him to feel better. He is using three medications right now. He has taken a break from school as his condition has gotten worse. Some people say to me :"Just forget about spending a life with him, he is never going to get better. Even if he does the chances are he'll go through same things under a stress factor." But I love him so much. I try not to listen to them. Because I do want to spend a lifetime with him. He is an amazing person and I wanna help him. Do you have any suggestions for me? And also I wonder if this disease can be genetically transferred? Thanks again for this video,because I think this is a rare disease and not a lot of people know about this and I couldn't really find a lot of informative sources.
Do not listen to the people who say that your boyfriend is never going to get better. That is totally untrue. I have seen hundreds of people recover, some from serious mental illnesses. Your boyfriend CAN and WILL get better, and you are right to support him. He can consult with me and draw upon my experience if he wishes. In the meantime, here is a video that I made on helping someone who is depressed.ruclips.net/video/ZaWfcFH3wPI/видео.html
You are a wonderful person. He is lucky to have you.
Aksam Zarook I was thinking the same thing I have dysthymia too, and If people like you exist then I know I not doomed to live alone
I am a sufferer and my bf is my hero. When I'm going through an episode i tend to feel numb except for negative emotions, but he is still there, telling me how beautiful i am, telling me he loves me, gives me a lot of hugs and makes me tea.
When the horrible sluggish feeling takes over, he tells me to stay in bed. Only minutes ago he told me to stay in bed, i cried horribly on his shoulder, he made jokes and now has put a mug of tea next to me while he cleans. When he's done cleaning, we're gonna do something productive.
The acts of love are comforting and help calm me down.
Clean home, calms me down.
Then, once calm, doing something productive snaps me out of it.
All that being said, i don't take him for granted, i show as well as tell him how much i love and appreciate him, in ways he understands, ie, going to his games to watch him play, buying him his favorite junk and bing watching his fav tv shows, or watching his chess games and random youtube vids on history. When he feels like not doing anything, i take care of him.
It can be passed down.I married a man with bipolar disorder and one of my children inherited it.And my husband hasn't improved much.I also went through the "wanting to help him" syndrome.I wouldn't recommend marrying him unless you really know what you're getting into.It's probably not as bad as what my husband suffers from, so maybe he'll become more functional if he has a good dr and correct meds.Good luck.
Hi, thank you so much for doing this video. In my experience, I always have lack of energy, I'm always tired, i feel like i drag, my whole family and friends says thst I'm extremely "lazy" and it's overwhelming because I feel incapable to take action, I feel that my head and body are heavy, i don't know what to do because i go to theraphy two years ago and she has never diagnosed me anything. I don't know what to do and I'm feeling that my whole life is overwhelmed by this situation, what can I do? Who can diagnose this accurately? I'm from colombia, thank you so much.
Go find a good psychiatrist or a psychiatric nurse practitioner. You may need to get on a low dose of an antidepressant. My book healing from depression outlines a self-directed program that can help you to heal from dysthymia. www.amazon.com/Healing-Depression-Weeks-Better-Mood/dp/0892541555/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
You’re not alone. I know that doesn’t help the situation but don’t think you have some alienating problem that nobody understands like I’ve felt. I’m 43 and have had this since I was a kid. Just diagnosed this year. For the longest time I thought I was some abnormal freak because nobody around me seemed to understand. I hope your feeling a bit better these days.
I exercise and exercise but I don't feel well after it. I leave the gym the same way I came into it. How can I feel better after exercising???? 😪😥
I’m not sure. Perhaps you should talk to a personal trainer aura an exercise physiologist Or your doctor.
@@DouglasBloch thank you for your response.
I'm new to the channel and I like the videos i watched. You got good content.
I love talking to people and I like people but I don't want to get out of bed in the morning and have lost interest in my old hobbies.....am I depressed and having trouble sleeping...
Have you reached out to a mental health professional?
@@DouglasBloch Yes and all he is trying to do is taper me off of klonopin that I take at night because I had stopped sleeping and then when I wake up at 3 AM he says take a Benadryl, or Visteral, or Trazodone (which doesn't work) or Remeron(which doesn't work).or Melatonin which makes me sick......this doctor says I am not depressed, but something has happened to my brain....and I think I have panic too......GAD .......I am 76......when I was in my 50's and 60's...it seemed that PremPro hormones helped....I am also dealing with my mother's dementia and I think if I had a husband or extended family....I would not be depressed....