A Clinical Study of Chronic Depression

Neurological status of chronic depressive states have not been resolved as yet. Recent classificatory systems ICD-X and DSM-III-R have included chronic depression under affective disorders and have done away with the category of neurotic depression. The present study was undertaken with the aims of (a) to study clinical variables associated with major subtypes of chronic depression (chronic major depression and dysthymia) and (b) to investigate personality characteristics and life events associated with major subtypes of chronic depression. The sample was drawn from outpatients and inpatients as per DSM-DI-R criteria. 30 patients were studied (21 chronic major depression and 9 dysthymia). They were administered Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Eysenck Personality Inventory and Interview for recent life event (Paykel and Mangen, 1980) and details of sociodemographic and clinical variables were recorded. Symptomatically dysthymia and chronic major depression are indistinguishable. More patients of dysthymia have positive family history of depressive disorder. Dysthymia had significantly higher score on neuroticism. All chronic depressives tend to report more life stresses during the courses of illness.