I understand the distinction in your reply, but what if the SA has been present for long enough that to all intent & purpose, it is your 'yourself'? I mean, my tendency to avoid / stress over something that could be considered a typical SA trigger is likely omnipresent in me, but is also something that is often as much subconscious, as something that I'd actually think about. Like the dysthymia, I don't remember a time when it wasn't part of my thought processes, but it's likely such an integrated part of those processes that I wouldn't necessarily notice if it was on/off.

Hmm. Should apparently lifelong dysthymia be considered a personality disorder?