Unipolar Depressive Disorders

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Depressive disorders are divided into Major Depressive Disorder, Minor Depressive Disorder, Dysthymic Disorder, Mixed Anxiety Depressive Disorder.

All these disorders have overlapping symptoms and characteristics and can be considered along a continuum that goes from a normal depressed mood, to a minor depressive state up to the most serious clinical conditions of major depression.

Post Partum Depression (DPP) is considered a special case of Major Depressive Disorder and begins within the first 4 weeks of childbirth.

Common symptoms

Changes in appetite, such as eating much more or much less than habits (emotional hunger);
Sleep disturbances, including irregular sleep, a desire for excess sleep, or early morning awakenings

  • Lack of concentration or poor memory
  • Irritability;
  • Decreased sexual desire
  • Loss of interest in previously preferred activities (performing these activities no longer as before);
  • Social isolation or withdrawal;
  • Lack of self-care in nutrition and personal hygiene;
  • Lack of care for the environment in which you live;
  • Decreased motivation and activity level, often described as a sense of lethargy
  • Lack of hope for the future and negative thoughts such as: “Nothing makes sense anymore”;
  • Recurring negative thoughts about yourself
  • Guilt feelings;
  • Inability to feel affection, often described as blocked emotionality or a feeling of sentimental anesthesia
  • Thoughts of suicide (e.g. no longer interested in living or dying).

Major depressive disorder

Five or more of the following symptoms, including at least one related to loss of interest and pleasure in daily activities, for at least two weeks:

  • Depressed mood most of the day and almost every day
  • Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or nearly all, activities;
  • Significant weight loss or gain, without dieting, or appetite;
  • Insomnia or hyperinsomnia;
  • Agitation or psychomotor slowing;
  • Fatigue or lack of energy
  • Feelings of self-deprecation or excessive guilt;
  • Reduced ability to think, concentrate or indecisive
  • Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide attempts or suicidal thoughts.major-depressive-disorder

Minor depressive disorder

It is a mood alteration that presents the same general depressive symptoms for all unipolar depressive episodes.

The diagnosis can be made with only two symptoms present and less impairment in personal functioning.

  • Depressed mood most of the day and almost every day
  • Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or nearly all, activities;
  • Significant weight loss or gain, without dieting, or appetite;
  • Insomnia or hyperinsomnia;
  • Agitation or psychomotor slowing;
  • Fatigue or lack of energy
  • Feelings of self-deprecation or excessive guilt;
  • Reduced ability to think, concentrate or indecisive
  • Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide attempts or suicidal thoughts.

Dysthymic disorder

By dysthymia we mean a prolonged and attenuated form of depression, which allows the person to continue to carry out daily activities, but which does not allow them to feel good about themselves.

Summary

The symptoms must last for at least two years, it is not a severe form of depression, but it is prolonged over time and with a chronic course.

The characteristic of this disorder is the presence of a depressed mood for at least a month, such as to cause discomfort that compromises personal functioning in the work, social, or affective-relational field.

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