http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dysthemia
"Dysthemia (distinct from but commonly mistaken for dysthymia) is a psychological juxtaposition of balancing character traits which induce a withdrawal illness marked by maladaptive dissociate behavior.
. . .
Symptoms
Dysthemia features general symptoms associated with depression, including withdrawal, tiredness, mood-swings, etc. Uniquely, dysthemic persons will change their personality characteristics; however, the underlying personality will not change. Sufferers will shift their desires and needs to those around them, creating a conflict with their own inner or "true needs". This differs from schizoid personality changes in that dysthemics don't eliminate their underlying identity, only the cortical surface..."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dysphoria
"Dysphoria is the opposite of euphoria. It is generally characterized as a feeling of emotional and/or mental discomfort, restlessness, malaise, and depression. A person suffering from dysphoria will feel that 'Things aren't the way they are supposed to be.' . . . Chronic dysphoric mood states may also be a contributing factor in the development of eating disorders and depression.
Dysphoria can be differentiated from depression in that it tends to be an agitated feeling..."
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: what do you think of the (brief) descriptions of these conditions, or about them in general if you're already familiar? can you identify w/what they describe? moreover, have you ever wondered if you're more often/severely depressed than many people yet not quite clinically depressed?
if you feel/are depressed or, for example, dysphoric, how do you find that this manifests itself when you do or do NOT engage in ED symptoms?
*edit: follow the link from the dysthemia article to that on dysthymia if you're interested--it's another condition in the depression 'family.'
