According to the article:
"[Double Depression] refers to chronic, less-severe depression (dysthymia) that worsens into major depression."
Which makes you wonder why they don't just call it Dysthymia, except that, perhaps, nobody knows how to pronounce it.
"Double Depression" is a terrible name for something that is seemingly less-severe than good old fashioned Depression. It seems, however, that this particular flavor of Depression has a sprig of hopelessness in the brew. Unlike major Depression, of course, which is apparently bubbling with hope by comparison.
I'm skeptical as well that "Double Depression" is a useful moniker. It says nothing of hopelessness, which is its defining characteristic, and it sounds like people have a double helping of Depression instead of Depression with a suffocating sidekick. I like to see research pursued in the realm of Depression, but I have to wonder if "Double Depression" is more of a gimmick than a real diagnosis.
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