This is a real-world medical entrance exam question, please give the true answer based on the question and selection. Topic name: Mood disorders, Subject name: Psychiatry
Dysthymia is 
Select and explain. 
A. Chronic mild depression, B. Chronic severe depression, C. Bipolar disorder, D. Personality disorder
A: Chronic mild depression
Answer: A: Chronic mild depression 
Explanation: Persistent mood disorders are characterised by persistent mood symptoms which last for more than 2 years but are not severe enough to be labelled as even hypomania or mild depressive episode. If the symptom consists of persistent mild depression, the disorder is called as dysthymia (Ref: A sho textbook of psychiatry, Niraj Ahuja,7th edition, pg no73)