So is Dysthymic Disorder a second-rate psychiatric disorder? Based on my experience, patients experience considerable emotional turmoil. In fact, some dysthymic patients eventually develop a more serious depression called Major Depressive Disorder. When “double depression” (dysthymic disorder and major depression occurring together) happens, patients are so depressed that they become a threat to themselves and become functionally impaired. At this time, psychiatric hospitalization becomes necessary.

So Dysthymic Disorder is a serious health problem that should be recognized and treated promptly. It is an illness that somehow hides its existence from everyone including clinicians and patients themselves.

What is treatment? Dysthymic disorder can be treated by antidepressants and psychotherapy. Most patients respond to treatment although some still suffer despite adequate treatment. Also, there are some individuals who only respond minimally. As such, this illness can be more challenging to treat than others.

Dr. Michael G. Rayel – author (First Aid to Mental Illness–Finalist, Reader’s Preference Choice Award 2002) psychiatrist, and inventor of Oikos Game: A Personal Development and Emotional Skills Game. For more information, please visit www.oikosgame.com.

Imagine juiciest whole piece of fried chicken right in front of you. You can smell its tempting aroma. You sliced it into pieces and heard crispy crunching sound. Picture yourself taking a large bite and enjoying gastronomic experience. Did that made your mouth water? Did that made you hungry? Images are very powerful and can be used to improve your health, attain your goals, and achieve anything that you put your mind into.

For instance, you're a burn victim. You have a wound that is quite agonizing. Don't just say, "Hey, burn wound. Get out of my skin." Picture it in your mind getting smaller and smaller. Visualize it melting and vanishing into thin air.

You may imagine wound itself healing miraculously, or you may designate any object of your choice to represent that wound. For example, you visualize a black stone as a symbol of your illness. Imagine that object shrinking and disintegrating slowly. As you're thinking of this, feel your wound and all negative forces simultaneously going along with action of black stone. Let them become smaller and smaller until they have ceased to exist.

So which technique is better - imagining real thing or assigning a representational object to it? It all depends on you. Pick and apply method that you are more comfortable with, one that you are more inclined to think and visualize upon.

But it's not as easy as you think. Practice makes perfect. One way you can optimize power of imagination is by becoming more observant and meticulous. If you're going to use a certain flower in your visualization, go to park and become a keen observer of that flower. Touch it. Smell it. Feel its texture. The more senses involved, more powerful your visualization will become.

Visualization can be a very powerful tool in getting what you want in life. Practice and apply it often. You'll be amazed at results.