Depressive Disorders

Depressive Disorders

  • Depression is the oldest and one of the most frequently diagnosed psychiatric illnesses.
  • Transient symptoms are normal, healthy responses to everyday disappointments in life.
  • Pathological depression occurs when adaptation is ineffective.
  • Depression is an alteration in mood/affect that is expressed by feelings of sadness, despair, and pessimism.

Epidemiology

  • 6.7% of persons aged 18 or older had at least one major depressive episode in the previous year.
  • Gender prevalence
    • Depression is more prevalent in women than in men by about 2 to 1.
  • Age and gender
    • Lifetime prevalence of depressive disorders is higher in those aged 45 years or younger.
  • Social class
    • There is an inverse relationship between social class and the report of depressive symptoms.
  • Race and culture
    • No consistent relationship between race and affective disorder has been reported.
    • Problems have been encountered in reviewing racial comparisons.
  • Marital status
    • Single and divorced people are more likely to experience depression than are married persons or persons with a close interpersonal relationship (differences occur in various age groups).
  • Seasonal interaction
    • There is evidence that supports a seasonal decrease in social interactions during Fall and Winter seasons which may result in the development of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Types of Depressive Disorders

  • Major depressive disorder
    • Characterized by depressed mood
    • Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities
    • Symptoms present for at least 2 weeks
    • No history of manic behavior
    • Cannot be attributed to use of substances or another medical condition
  • Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia)
    • Sad or “down in the dumps”
    • No evidence of psychotic symptoms
    • Essential feature is a chronically depressed mood for
      • Most of the day
      • More days than not
      • At least 2 years
  • Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
    • Depressed mood
    • Anxiety
    • Mood swings
    • Decreased interest in activities
    • Symptoms begin during the week prior to menses, start to improve within a few days after the onset of menses, and become minimal or absent in the week post-menses.
  • Substance- or medication-induced depressive disorder
    • Considered to be the direct result of physiological effects of a substance
  • Depressive disorder associated with another medical condition
    • Attributable to the direct physiological effects of a general medical condition

Share:

More Posts

Epilepsy and Seizures

ON THIS PAGE What are epilepsy and seizures? Who is more likely to have epilepsy and seizures? Types of seizures Types of epilepsy How are

Working Out to Stay Sharp

Can Exercise Keep Your Brain Healthier? En español Send us your comments (link sends e-mail) We’ve all heard that exercise is good for us. Experts

Symptoms of Food Poisoning

KEY POINTS The most common symptoms of food poisoning include diarrhea, stomach pain or cramps, nausea, vomiting, and fever. Signs of severe food poisoning include