Characterized by dysphoria; experiencing a state of intense unhappiness, anxiety, restlessness, or emotional discomfort.
From Greek 'dys-' (bad/difficult) and 'phoros' (bearing/carrying), literally meaning 'difficult to bear.' The term entered psychiatric vocabulary to describe emotional states worse than just sadness.
Dysphoria differs from depression in a crucial way—depression often involves numbness or lack of feeling, while dysphoria is an actively painful emotional state; understanding this distinction changed how psychiatrists treat mood and anxiety disorders.
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