What is persistent depressive disorder?
Persistent depressive disorder (PDD) is mild or moderate depression that doesn’t go away. A person with PDD has a sad, dark, or low mood and two or more other symptoms of depression. The symptoms last most of the day, on most days, over a long period of time.
Healthcare providers used to call the condition dysthymia or dysthymic disorder.
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What’s the difference between depression and persistent depressive disorder?
Persistent depressive disorder is a type of depression. It’s less severe than major depressive disorder — another type — but it’s ongoing. It’s defined as lasting at least two years in adults and at least one year in children and teens. During this time, symptoms can't be absent for more than two consecutive months to meet the criteria for PDD.
How common is chronic depression?
PDD can happen to anyone at any age. In fact, 3% or more of the U.S. population experiences it at some point in their lives.
PDD is more common in women and in people who have relatives with the same condition.
