Persistent depressive disorder is a mental health that was previously known as dysthymic disorder. Individuals who are living with persistent depressive disorder have been struggling with a depressed mood for the majority of days, for a minimum of two years (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).

This means that individuals who experience persistent depressive disorder will have differences among their symptoms.

Additionally, those who are living with this mental health concern do not experience a period of more than 2 months without having a depressed mood or the other symptom’s discussed (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Lastly, the symptoms associated with persistent depressive disorder are not the result of other mental health concerns such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or the use of drugs and alcohol (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).

Individuals who are living with persistent depressive disorder often begin to experience symptoms at a young age, such as during their childhood (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). For those who do begin to experience symptoms before they turn 21, they are known to be at a higher risk for developing personality disorders such as borderline personality disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Additionally, individuals living with persistent depressive disorder are at a higher risk of developing a comorbid disorder with an anxiety disorder or a substance abuse disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).

An additional difference that can be found among individuals living with persistent depressive disorder is the severity of the mental health concern. For example, the National Institute of Mental Health estimates that 49.7% of individuals experience severe symptoms, 32.1% experience moderate symptoms, while 18.2% experience mild symptoms. This demonstrates additional differences that can be found among individuals living with this disorder.