Depression Symptoms - Part 2

Since one post wasn't enough to tell you all about the depression symptoms, here I am picking up where I left off last time. We've seen that among the symptoms of depression are depressed mood, loss of pleasure, weight gain/loss, insomnia, psychomotor disturbances, and now it's time for...

Depression Symptoms - Part 1

For those who are learning a bit about clinical aspects through these posts, perhaps you've become familiar with the concepts of symptoms and disorders. To diagnose a disorder, you need to have a certain number of symptoms for a specific period under certain conditions. Before discussing Major Depression and Persistent Depression, let's explore the symptoms of depression.

Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder

The first depressive disorder we encounter in the diagnostic manual (DSM-5) is Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder. A very long name, so let's break it down to understand its meaning.

Depressive Disorders

After Bipolar Disorder, the diagnostic manual continues with Depressive Disorders. The word "depression" is familiar to us, likely due to its prevalence; it's easier to have direct or indirect experiences with someone who has suffered or is suffering from depression. Therefore, I expect that even a reader not versed in the subject has a greater awareness of what Depression is compared to Bipolar Disorder or Schizophrenia.

Bipolar Disorder

After defining mood and what a manic, hypomanic, and depressive episode are, we are ready to define what Bipolar Disorder is. The diagnostic manual (DSM) distinguishes three main categories:

• Bipolar Disorder I
• Bipolar Disorder II
• Cyclothymic Disorder.
  

Manic - Hypomanic - Depressive

To talk about Bipolar Disorder, we need to understand what a are:

• manic episode
• hypomanic episode
• depressive episode. 
  

Mood

In the diagnostic manual (DSM), after schizophrenia, comes Bipolar Disorder. As with everything I'm trying to tell you in my own words, we need to start with some simpler concepts to get an understanding of what Bipolar Disorder is. Today, I'll talk about mood.

Schizophrenia

If you ask a mental health professional which disorder has the most profound consequences for an individual, most would likely respond, 'Schizophrenia.' Let's try to understand why.

Delusional Disorder and Brief Psychotic Disorder

In the previous post, I introduced Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders and other Psychotic Disorders. For this group, the diagnostic manual lists the following disorders:
- Delusional Disorder
- Brief Psychotic Disorder
- Schizophreniform Disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Schizoaffective Disorder
Let's delve into the details of the first two.

Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

After Neurodevelopmental Disorders, the diagnostic manual takes a different direction and introduces us to Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders and other Psychotic Disorders. Here we encounter at least three new terms: spectrum, schizophrenia, and psychotic.