Chronic Depression is also known as Dysthymia.  This disease can be serious, although not as serious as attacks with major depression.  Someone you know may have Chronic Depression and you would not know it.  Typically someone with this illness can live a regular life.  They go to work or school and go about their everyday lives without as much as causing a ripple in the water.  This is due to the fact that the scars caused by this illness do not appear on the outside of the body but on the inside.  But both physical and mental effects result. 

Chronic Depression will not cause you to cough, sneeze or run a fever.  You will not typically break out into a rash.  However, a victim of this illness may feel helplessness, worthlessness and hopelessness.  Sleeping disorders such as nightmares and insomnia may develop.  This illness can leave the victim with a constant sad or empty feeling that seems to consume them.  Typically the afflicted can also have episodes of considering death or suicide.  Normally those with Chronic Depression do a good job of concealing these symptoms.  When an illness is born mentally you have to often look very closely to catch these symptoms of Chronic Depression.  They’re not always clear.

When you are approaching an illness such as Chronic Depression there are a few major options for treatment.  One of the most popular approaches is Psychotherapy.  You confront the mental ailment with a mental solution.  Through Psychotherapy the Doctor can attempt to find the cause of the depression and work towards infusing a positive outlook for the patient.  Anti-Depressants that help to stem the spread or worsening of the condition are another option.  In many cases the answer is to utilize both options to bring about a positive result.  Although Chronic Depression is not Major Depression it can certainly lead to it.  As with many illnesses, early detection is one of the most powerful tools in fighting this. 

.  When your employment or social life begins to feel the impact of the change in your personality then action must be taken.  Those who suffer from Chronic Depression are not crazy or mentally insane.  It takes a great deal of care to approach the problems that cause this disease.  This disease can strike anyone at any time.  Therefore, knowing what it is may one day assist you in facing it personally for yourself or for someone you love.