Dysthymic Disorder

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I mostly just wanted to see if it was common among those with AS to also have a comorbid of DD. I did look around for forums for DD, but none that I found were very active. Most posters seemed to only post a couple times, then never return. I find that I don't relate as well to NTs on support forums,anyway. They seem to just want to share how they feel, whereas I want to discuss the why, what, and where of how to deal with it. I don't find any value in sharing with a forum that 'I feel bad' so everyone can either say 'me too' or 'hugs'. That's a lot of what I was seeing when I was browsing.

My theory (and I know this is impossible to know one way or another) is that I probably wouldn't have developed DD, or the GAD if my environment had been more accepting, and AS friendly growing up. I'm a very quiet. sensitive, person that is usually kind, and passive. I'm guessing instead of getting angry (which is an emotion that I have only recently felt) at others, I turned it inwards, where it became depression.

How does this refute what I said? I agree with thr article.

Lol, I think like that as well, when I'm not going around in circles in my head.

From the sounds of it you may have had chronic major depression rather than dysthymic disorder.

I don't know. I was assessed when I was being considered for a double blind study. They wanted to see if people who had dysthymia with dips into major depression were benefited by the medication they were testing (which was Zoloft). I functioned but only just and that effort exhausted me. I can tell you one noticeable way I felt different when the meds kicked in. I felt like I had spent my entire life looking at the world through a dirty glass and someone had suddenly wiped it clean.

For me major depression feels the same way. The world is colorless, dull, boring, and I'm always either tired or angry and irritable. Something has to be exceptionally exciting for me to show enthusiasm or not feel tired. Getting up in the morning is always pure hell no matter how much sleep I get. I feel that if I can't eventually get a treatment that works for me this is always going to interfere with my ability to be employed. I'm never on time for anything when I have to get there before noon. I can't say my symptoms don't have a "major" effect on my functioning.