Which term describes persistent, mild depression lasting at least two years?

• A. Dysthymia
• B. Major depressive disorder
• C. Cyclothymia
• D. Adjustment disorder

Answer: (A)

Chronic, mild depressive symptoms that persist for a long time are best described as dysthymia, now called persistent depressive disorder. This means a person has depressed mood most of the day, more days than not, for at least two years in adults, with symptoms that are milder than a full major depressive episode but enduring enough to cause ongoing distress or impairment. The emphasis is on longevity and lower intensity rather than a single, severe episode.

This differs from major depressive disorder, which involves more intense symptoms that meet full criteria for a depressive episode and occur in discrete periods lasting at least two weeks. Cyclothymia features ongoing mood fluctuations with both depressive and hypomanic symptoms, not a sustained, consistently mild depressive state. Adjustment disorder is a maladaptive emotional response to a identifiable stressor that resolves after the stressor ends or after a period of adjustment, not a chronic two-year course.