CHRONIC DEPRESSIVE DISORDERS

Abstract

Despite the greater prevalence of chronic depression, there are controversial questions about the clinical and psycho-pathological structure of the course and determinants of chronic depressive disorder. There is an abundance of terms applicable to the long-term depressive disorders, and significant discrepancies in the assessment of these states. The allocation of chronic depression is not provided according to ICD-10 (1994). Chronic depression and dysthymia combine into one diagnosis "persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia)" according to DSM-V (2013). The possible determinants of chronic depression were analyzed: demographics (age and gender), social (education, socioeconomic and marital status) and psychobiological (children's experience, personal characteristics, previous mental and physical illness) vulnerability, stressful life events and social support, factors associated with the disease (severity of depression, comorbid conditions, number and duration of previous episodes).

Keywords

• chronic depression
• depressive disorder
• dysthymia