I dont know if i really have but I have been diagnosed persistent depressive disorder or dysthymia in late 2024 and in 2025 I have mdd.. how do I know that i have both or is it the newest diagnosis replace the older one..?
When i ask my parents or my doctor none of them want to tell me..i just want know is it possible ? I not saying i assuming but it feels like it more than having pdd everytime i have an episode..
Hi there OG_DinoJT, thank you for reaching out today.
Your confusion makes complete sense, and it’s actually a really valid question that deserves a proper answer, not silence from the people around you.
To answer directly, yes it is possible to have both. There’s actually a recognised condition sometimes called “double depression” where someone has dysthymia as a baseline and then experiences episodes of major depressive disorder on top of that. So the newer diagnosis doesn’t necessarily replace the older one. It can mean that what you’re experiencing has become more intense or episodic on top of the persistent low mood you already had.
If what you’re experiencing feels more intense than your usual state, like you described, that’s worth paying attention to and worth bringing up again with your doctor. You have every right to understand your own diagnosis and to have it explained to you properly. Asking them directly what both diagnoses mean for you and how they relate to each other is completely reasonable.