Trouble concentrating and making decisions.Feeling excessive or undue feelings of guilt.Decreased energy or feelings of fatigue.Feelings of agitation and restlessness or, the opposite, feeling really slowed down like you are walking through water.Trouble sleeping (insomnia) or, the opposite, sleeping a lot (hypersomnia).Changes in appetite that lead to a good deal of weight loss or weight gain.Profound loss of interest in things that previously brought pleasure (e.g., hobbies, friendships, activities).Feeling down or depressed, most of the day, nearly every day (in children and adolescents this might be exhibited as irritable mood).There are specific criteria around how long the symptoms last.Īn array of symptoms may be observed over a two-week period of a major depressive episode. The signs and symptoms of major depressioninclude mood changes as well as other changes. What are the Signs and Symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder? Have a blood relative with bipolar disorder.Have psychotic features as part of their illness.This is more likely to be the case in people who: They may cycle between depressive and manic episodes. People whose episodes are considered severeĪ segment of individuals who at first are thought to have major depressive disorder later show evidence of having bipolar disorder.People who have a history of multiple episodes.In addition, recurrence of a major depressive episode becomes less likely over time. The good news is that 80% of people show recovery from a major depressive episode within 12 months and 40% show recovery as soon as 3 months after onset of an episode. For others, the time between episodes is shorter and some symptoms linger between episodes. Some individuals experience discrete episodes, full recovery between episodes, and a good deal of time between episodes. The course of major depression varies across people who are diagnosed with it. There are very rare cases of first onset in the geriatric population. However, onset is more likely around puberty. Major depression may first appear at any age. What is the Age of Onset and Course of Major Depressive Disorder? However, the majority of people experience more than one episode over their lifetimes. Some people may only have one depressive episode. There is consistent evidence that major depression is more prevalent in women compared to men. The rate is much lower in people over age 60, yet it is still present. 1 Prevalence is highest in people between ages 18 and 29. The American Psychiatric Association estimates that 23 million people in the U.S. The World Health Organization ranks it among the leading causes of global disability. When individuals get treatment, they can manage major depression and live full and productive lives.Įstimates show that more than 300 million people in the world live with depression. Major depression can be treated with medications, therapy, or both. Although major depression can be debilitating when a person does not get treatment, effective treatments do exist. For example, a big concern is that depression is linked with suicidal thoughts and behaviors. On top of the disturbance in mood, major depression includes other symptoms that impact how you feel, think, and function. However, most episodes last longer than that. It is characterized by feeling down or depressed most days for at least two weeks. Major Depressive Disorder is a mood disorder and serious mental illness.
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