Posted by Elizabeth on May 25, 1999, at 15:34:23
In reply to Re: Pharmacological Inteverntions for Dysthymia, posted by John on May 25, 1999, at 3:09:10
Hi. I agree with Sean that Dr. Akiskal is da man. Before I got hosed with schoolwork (it's finals week now), I started reading a book that he co-edited, _Dysthymia and the Spectrum of Chronic Depressions_. I didn't get very far, but I recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about this disorder.
A major thread that runs through the articles seems to be that dysthymia is an affective disorder like major depression (though not necessarily simply a milder-but-chronic form), and not a personality flaw. There is also the bipolar II link; I'm going to reserve judgment on that part, though, as I think bipolar disorder is already overdiagnosed. (It's often missed, too, but it seems like it's getting "trendy" to the point where nobody knows what it means anymore.)
BTW MAOIs are not reserved or used preferentially for bipolar disorder. They are well suited to most subtypes of unipolar depression and, like SSRIs and other ADs, shouldn't be used for bipolar depression without an antimanic drug on board as well. They are safer in this regard than the tricyclics, but they will not stop mania (and may cause or exacerbate it).
poster:Elizabeth
thread:6445
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19990501/msgs/6507.html