Dysthymic disorder is a long-lasting type of depression not symptomatically severe enough to warrant a diagnosis of major depression. People with dysthymia may have complaints lasting 6 months or longer (typically many years) of, for example, low mood, irritability, anxiety and sleep difficulties. The symptoms by definition never meet or exceed the severity threshold for a diagnosis of major depression, but dysthymia nevertheless results in real suffering and impairs functioning in various ways. A depiction of symptoms over time may be as follows: