Speaking to a guest on her podcast today, former FLOTUS Michelle Obama admitted she suffers from “low-grade depression”. During an interview with US journalist Michele Norris, she said a mix of current events had sent her into “emotional highs and lows”. But she added the unusual situation in the US required her to know “the things that do bring you joy”.
What is low-grade depression?
Low-grade depression is just one presentation of clinical depression, a disease millions of people have experienced to some degree.
Depression which doesn’t quite make the level of disorders like Major Depressive Disorder goes by a different name; dysthymia.
Pronounced dis-THIGH-me-ah, it is classed as a mood disorder which causes persistent low feelings.
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People will often find low-grade depression begins in early life and comes in waves, and it may also present alongside major depression.
In this case, doctors name the overarching disorder “double depression”.
While more severe cases of depression may come unprompted, life events often cause dysthymia.
Ms Obama said hers is the result of factors many people will relate with at this time.
She said: “I’m waking up in the middle of the night because I’m worrying about something or there’s a heaviness.”
The author added: “These are not, they are not fulfilling times, spiritually.
“I know that I am dealing with some form of low-grade depression.
“Not just because of the quarantine, but because of the racial strife, and just seeing this [Trump] administration, watching the hypocrisy of it, day in and day out, is dispiriting.”