Depression

Depression

Everybody feels sad every now and then
Depression affects 10 to 15% of people some time in their life.
20% to 50% of patients seen by primary care physicians suffer from depression.

Diagnosis

Major Depression: At least 5 of the following symptom for > 2 weeks
- Persistent sad, anxious or "empty" mood
- Loss of interest or pleasure in activities, including sex
- Restlessness, irritability, or excessive crying
- Feeling of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness, hopelessness, or pessimism
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Appetite and/or weight loss, or overeating and weight gain
- Decreased energy, fatigue, feeling "slowing down"
- Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
- Thoughts of suicide, or suicide attempts

Helpful tools

Treatment:

Gender difference of top depression symptoms in descending order
Woman	Man
self disappointment irritability hopelessness dissatisfaction sleep difficulties	dissatisfaction & difficulty sleeping self-criticism difficulties completing work fatigue irritability
Cheryl Carmin, PhD, of the University of Illinois at Chicago, and John Klocek, PhD, of the University of Montana in the Fall issue 1998 of The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine.

Clinical manifestations of Depressive Illness
Emotional - cognitive	Neurovegetative
Depressed mood Memory impairment Poor concentration Low self esteem Excessive guilt Hopelessness helplessness Suicide ideation	Anhedonia (inability to experience pleasure) Decreased sex drive Middle and late insomnia Appetite loss Slowed or agitated movement Fatigue Feeling worse in morning