## Diagnostic Duration Criterion for Dysthymia **Key Point:** Dysthymia (now classified as Persistent Depressive Disorder in DSM-5) requires a minimum duration of **2 years** in adults for diagnosis. ### Duration Requirements by Age Group | Population | Minimum Duration | | --- | --- | | Adults | 2 years | | Children and adolescents | 1 year | ### Core Features of Dysthymia - Chronic, low-grade depressed mood present on most days - Symptoms are less severe than Major Depressive Disorder but more persistent - Patient experiences depressed mood for majority of the day - Functional impairment is present but milder than in MDD - No symptom-free periods exceeding 2 months during the 2-year window **High-Yield:** The 2-year duration distinguishes dysthymia from Major Depressive Disorder (which requires only 2 weeks of symptoms). This chronicity is the hallmark feature that defines the disorder. **Clinical Pearl:** Dysthymia often begins insidiously in childhood or early adulthood, and patients may not recognize it as abnormal because they have adapted to the chronic low mood as their baseline.
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