Major Depressive Disorder and Anxiety Disorder


My daughter and I both suffer from depression.  Since we were both in our teens probably.  Right now she takes a mild anti-depressant and I take Cymbalta for arthritis pain and for depression/anxiety. ~ Sandi.

Symptoms of Depression
(Major Depressive Disorder)

By Psych Central Staff
A person who suffers from a major depressive disorder (sometimes also referred to as clinical depression or simply depression) must either have a depressed mood or a loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities consistently for at least a 2 week period. This mood must represent a change from the person's normal mood. Social, occupational, educational or other important functioning must also be negatively impaired by the change in mood. For instance, a person who has missed work or school because of their depression, or has stopped attending classes altogether or attending usual social engagements.
A depressed mood caused by substances (such as drugs, alcohol, medications) is not considered a major depressive disorder, nor is one which is caused by a general medical condition. Major depressive disorder generally cannot be diagnosed if a person has a history of manic, hypomanic, or mixed episodes (e.g., a bipolar disorder) or if the depressed mood is better accounted for by schizoaffective disorder and is not superimposed on schizophrenia, a delusion or psychotic disorder. Typically the diagnosis of major depression is also not made if the person is grieving over a significant loss in their lives (see note on bereavement below).
Clinical depression is characterized by the presence of the majority of these symptoms:
  • Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, as indicated by either subjective report (e.g., feeling sad or empty) or observation made by others (e.g., appears tearful). (In children and adolescents, this may be characterized as an irritable mood.)
  • Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day
  • Significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain (e.g., a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month), or decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day.
  • Insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day
  • Psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day
  • Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day
  • Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt nearly every day
  • Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day
  • Recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying), recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide
In addition, for a diagnosis of major depression to be made, the symptoms must not be better accounted for by Bereavement, i.e., after the loss of a loved one, the symptoms persist for longer than 2 months or are characterized by marked functional impairment, morbid preoccupation with worthlessness, suicidal ideation, psychotic symptoms, or psychomotor retardation.
Related Topics:
« Disorders Index
Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 11 Feb 2013
    Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved. 

It's so hard when I have to, and so easy when I want to.
-- Annie Gottlier

 

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2 comments:

  1. UnknownMay 12, 2017 at 8:48 PM

    Depression carries a high suicide risk, and anybody who exhibits suicidal major depressive disorder
    thoughts or intentions should be taken very seriously. Call your local suicide hotline immediately if you become aware of this problem.

    ReplyDelete
  2. jhonJune 29, 2018 at 12:05 AM

    Nevertheless, Substance P is also involved in other important processes for one's well being, such as: CBD & Anxiety

    ReplyDelete

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