什么是心境恶劣?

心境恶劣是一种较温和但持续时间较长的抑郁症. 它也被称为持续性抑郁症. People with this condition may also have bouts of major depression at times.

抑郁症 is a mood disorder that involves your body, mood, and thoughts. It affects the way you eat and sleep, think about things, and feel about yourself. 这和不开心或心情低落是不一样的. It’s not a sign of weakness or something that can be willed or wished away. People with depression can’t "snap out of it" and get better. 治疗是康复的关键.

女性患心境恶劣的几率是男性的两倍. 有些人还可能患有抑郁症或双相情感障碍.

是什么导致了心境恶劣?

这种类型的抑郁症没有明确的原因. Mental health professionals think it’s a result of chemical imbalances in the brain. 人们认为许多因素会导致抑郁症. These include environmental, psychological, biological, and genetic factors. Chronic stress and trauma have also been linked to this condition.

心境恶劣 seems to run in families, but no genes have yet been linked to it.

心境恶劣有哪些症状?

心境恶劣 is  milder, yet more long lasting than major depression. 每个人的症状可能不同. 症状可能包括:

• 持续的悲伤、焦虑或“空虚”的情绪
• 注意力集中、思考和/或做决定的能力较差
• 更少的能量
• 乏力
• 感觉绝望
• Weight and/or appetite changes due to over- or under-eating
• 睡眠模式的改变, 比如断断续续的睡眠, 无法入睡, 清晨醒来, 或者睡得太多
• 低自尊

要诊断这种情况, an adult must have a depressed mood for at least 2 years (or one year in children and adolescents), 并伴有以上至少两种症状. The symptoms of this illness may look like other mental health conditions. 一定要咨询医疗保健提供者以获得诊断.

如何诊断心境恶劣?

抑郁症 often happens with other conditions, such as heart disease, or cancer. It may also happen with substance use or anxiety disorders. Often, people with dysthymia grow accustomed to the mild depressive symptoms and do not seek help. 但是，早期诊断和治疗是康复的关键.

A diagnosis may be made after a careful medical and history and psychiatric exam by a mental health professional.

心境恶劣如何治疗?

Treatment may include one or a combination of the following:

• 医学. 有许多不同的药物可用于治疗抑郁症. It often takes 4 to 6 weeks for anti-depressants to have a full effect. It’s important to keep taking the medicine, even if it doesn’t seem to be working at first. It’s also important to talk to your healthcare provider before stopping. Some people have to switch medicines or add medicines to get results.
• 治疗. This is most often cognitive behavioral or interpersonal therapy. It focuses on changing distorted views of yourself and your environment. It also works to improve relationship skills, and identify and manage stressors.

Because this condition usually last for longer than 5 years, long-term treatment may be needed.

If you have depression, there are things you can do to help yourself. 抑郁症 can make you feel exhausted, worthless, helpless, and 绝望的. Such negative thoughts and feelings may make you feel like giving up. It is important to realize that these negative views are part of the depression and may not reflect reality. Negative thinking fades as treatment begins to take effect. 同时，考虑以下几点:

• 得到帮助. If you think you may be depressed, see a professional as soon as possible.
• 设定现实的目标，不要承担太多.
• 把大任务分成小任务. 设定优先级，尽你所能去做.
• 试着和别人在一起，向别人倾诉. 这通常比孤身一人遮遮掩掩要好.
• 做一些让你感觉更好的事情. Going to a movie, gardening, or taking part in religious, social, or other activities may help. Doing something nice for someone else can also help you feel better.
• 定期锻炼.
• 期待你的心情慢慢好转，而不是马上. 感觉好起来需要时间.
• 吃健康、均衡的食物.
• 远离酒精和毒品. 这些会使抑郁症恶化.
• It is best to postpone big decisions until the depression has lifted. 在做出重大改变之前——换工作, get married or divorced -- discuss it with others who know you well and have a more objective view of your situation.
• 记住:人们很少会从抑郁中“突然恢复”. 但他们可以一天比一天感觉好一点.
• 试着保持耐心，关注积极的一面. This may help replace the negative thinking that is part of the depression, and the negative thoughts will disappear as your depression responds to treatment.
• 让你的家人和朋友帮助你.

要点

• 心境恶劣 is a milder, yet more chronic form of major depression. People with this illness may also have major depression at times.
• 这种疾病没有明确的病因, but mental health professionals think it’s a result of chemical imbalances in the brain. Some types of depression seem to run in families, but no genes have yet been linked to depression.
• 在一般情况下, nearly everyone with depression has ongoing feelings of sadness, 可能会感到无助, 绝望的, 和急躁. 如果不进行治疗，症状可能会持续多年.
• This condition is most often treated with medicine, therapy, or a combination of both.

下一个步骤

Tips to help you get the most from a visit to your healthcare provider:

• 知道你访问的原因和你想要发生什么.
• 在拜访之前，写下你想要回答的问题.
• Bring someone with you to help you ask questions and remember what your provider tells you.
• At the visit, write down the name of a new diagnosis, and any new medicines, treatments, or tests. Also write down any new instructions your provider gives you.
• Know why a new medicine or treatment is prescribed, and how it will help you. 还要知道副作用是什么.
• 询问你的病情是否可以用其他方法治疗.
• Know why a test or procedure is recommended and what the results could mean.
• Know what to expect if you do not take the medicine or have the test or procedure.
• If you have a follow-up appointment, write down the date, time, and purpose for that visit.
• Know how you can contact your provider if you have questions.