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by bowsamic 1491 days ago
I don't think there's evidence for this for anxiety, but I think this is true for dysthymia (persistent depression), however this isn't necessarily what OP has, although to me it does kind of sound more like dysthymia than anxiety. Generalised or specific anxiety disorders can be treated much more effectively than depression, persistent or otherwise.

If it is persistent depression, you are right. I have dysthymia, and have had it since childhood, and there isn't really hope. Those who have remission, almost always relapse after a year. It is something you learn to cope with, rather than treat. We just have to come to terms with the reality of the situation, that in this life we won't experience the joy that other humans do.
1 comments
BubbleRings 1491 days ago
I absolutely don't buy into either of these views. As a person in long term recovery from alcohol and drug addiction, and someone that has been to thousands of support meetings, and known many many people that have recovered from horrible circumstances, my advice is, ignore these two posts. It just is not true.
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bowsamic 1491 days ago
> As a person in long term recovery from alcohol and drug addiction

What has this got to do with anything? Dysthymia isn't an addiction or "horrible circumstances". It isn't even particularly severe, it's just moderately meh all the time. Most people don't seek treatment because they assume it's just part of their personality: "I'm just a negative person" or "I just don't like making friends" etc.

You don't have a clue what you are talking about. Studies that say that dysthymia remission is 50% define remission as "receiving 'Tools to handle life'". It's about coping, not about treatment.

One who has dysthymia may never have long term responses like a person without it, there is no reason to expect it, and we have very little idea how to treat it long term. The best we can do is improve the person's response to dysthymic feelings.

Just because you recovered from alcoholism doesn't immediately translate to dysthymia. They call it "permanent depression" for a reason.

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