Depressive disorder – clinical presentation

Depressive disorder – clinical presentation




Depressive symptoms consist of persistent low mood that affects all aspects of a person’s life, and other characteristic psychological and physical changes. Depressive episodes are psychiatric syndromes in which a specified number of symptoms are present for at least two weeks. Depressive symptoms occur in many other psychiatric conditions, such as dementia, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, PTSD and adjustment disorders. Organic depressive disorders also occur, for example in hypothyroidism and Cushing’s syndrome.





Core symptoms of depression


In ICD 10, three core symptoms of depression are described. As would be expected, one of these is depressed mood, which some patients describe as being the same as normal sadness, but more intense or prolonged, while others say it has a distinct quality, like a dark cloud. There is sometimes a ‘diurnal variation of mood’ in depressive episodes, with the person feeling worse in the morning and improving as the day progresses. The second of the core symptoms is loss of interest and enjoyment. Motivation is reduced. Hobbies cease to be of interest, and previously enjoyable encounters with friends and family may become chores to be avoided. Anhedonia, an inability to experience pleasure, often occurs. The final core symptom is reduced energy leading to increased fatiguability. People with depression can feel too tired to do things, or rapidly become fatigued and have to stop what they are doing.


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Jul 12, 2016 | Posted by in PSYCHIATRY | Comments Off on Depressive disorder – clinical presentation

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