Depression

Types of Depressive Disorders

Approximately 6–17 percent of women suffer a major depressive episode (MDE) at least once in their life. MDEs are diagnosed by the occurrence of at least five of the depressive symptoms listed above occurring in a two-week period. One of the symptoms must include depressed mood or loss of interest in daily activities. In addition, the symptoms should occur nearly every day. Depression, even when treated, holds a high likelihood of recurrence. Over 80 percent of people suffering from depression have more than one episode. In addition, approximately half of individuals who suffer from an MDE will experience a reoccurring episode within two years.

Dysthymia is a chronic mood disorder. It is considered less severe than MDEs, as it presents with similar but less intense symptoms. Dysthymia is defined by a duration of two years or longer. Diagnosis, as with MDE, includes experiencing depressed mood for most of the day on a nearly daily basis. However, with dysthymia, two of the depressive symptoms listed above must also occur for a diagnosis to be made, as opposed to the five required by MDE. While people who suffer from dysthymia are highly likely to experience MDE, a diagnosis of dysthymia requires its absence in the first two years of the illness. Psychotic major depression (PMD) affects approximately, 4 percent of the population. PMD is more severe than MDE. It is usually episodic, but some cases are chronic. PMD differs from MDE in that individuals suffer a break [Page 281]from reality, most commonly through delusions but sometimes through hallucinations. Paranoid delusions and delusions of guilt are most common. Another common delusion in PMD is the belief that something is wrong physically or with one's health. Most PMD hallucinations are auditory.

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