[Dysthymia and cyclothymia--serious consequences of rarely diagnosed disorders]

Dysthymia and cyclothymia are chronic affective disorders with a minimum duration of 2 years. Both ICD-10 and DSM-IV define cyclothymia as a bipolar disorder with low intensity. This disorder is rare and little research has been done on it. Its economic and social consequences vary from case to case. In contrast dysthymias, chronic depressive disorders, are frequent (prevalence 3-6%) and cause considerable distress. They have serious economic and social consequences, which are comparable to those caused by other chronic conditions such as arthritis or diabetes mellitus. Despite widely held conviction a majority of dysthymias improves under consequent pharmaco- and psychotherapy.