Depression

Worldwide, 280 million people are diagnosed with depression. Depressive symptoms immensely impact a person’s daily well-being. Individuals experience feelings of emptiness, constant and overwhelming sadness, and hopelessness. Daily activities become unbearably difficult, decrease, and lose meaning in their usual interests and activities. The ability to feel positive emotions and happiness is lost. [1]

Dysthymia

Dysthymia is a chronic, ongoing affective disorder with mildly expressed depressive symptoms. It is characterized by a persistent low mood, often attributed to the person's character traits, and can go undiagnosed for years.

Postpartum depression

It may affect 1 in 7 women. The depressive symptoms following childbirth that resolve within no more than two weeks are termed "Baby Blues." However, if the symptoms persist and worsen, postpartum depression may be suspected. [2]

Major depressive disorder

To diagnose MDD, five or more symptoms must be persistently expressed, significantly affecting the quality of life, causing emotional imbalance, and psychosocial distress. [3]

Signs of Depression:

• Decreased mood
• Decreased ability to experience pleasure (anhedonia)
• Reduced interest
• Decreased ability to focus and concentrate
• Reduced self-esteem
• Reduced self-confidence
• Excessive self-critical thoughts
• Excessive tearfulness
• Hopelessness
• Suicidal thoughts
• Decreased energy
• Restlessness
• Decreased productivity
• Psychomotor retardation
• Weight changes due to appetite changes (gain, loss)
• Insomnia or hypersomnia
• Slowed speech tempo
• Difficulty maintaining hygiene

Treatment:

• Pharmacotherapy
• Psychotherapy

References

1. World Health Organization. Depressive disorder (depression). Geneva: WHO; 2023. Figure based on the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 — GBD 2019 Mental Disorders Collaborators. Global, regional, and national burden of 12 mental disorders in 204 countries and territories, 1990–2019. Lancet Psychiatry. 2022;9(2):137–150. doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(21)00395-3

2. Liu X, Wang S, Wang G. Prevalence and Risk Factors of Postpartum Depression in Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. J Clin Nurs. 2021;31(19–20):2665–2677. doi:10.1111/jocn.16121. See also Shorey S, et al. J Psychiatr Res. 2018;104:235–248. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2018.08.001

3. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR). Washington, DC: APA; 2022.