Question

1. Describe how a major depressive episode is different than feeling sad or in a funk now and then.

Answer 1

People often assume being in bad mood as depression. However depression is far much more than a bad mood. Depression is a serious clinical condition. Mood is a relatively temporary condition. However depression is a prolonged condition for weeks (two weeks to be specific as per DSM 5). Major Depressive Disorder is accompanied by a variety of symptoms. These are:

- Depressed mood most of the day or everyday

- Diminished interest and pleasure in almost all activities

- Significant weight loss or gain

- Insomnia or Hypersomnia

- Psychomotor agitation or retardation

- Fatigue or loss of energy

- Feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt

- Diminished ability to think and concentrate

- Recurrent thoughts of death and suicidal ideation

These symptoms should be present in order to be diagnosed with Depression. Now being in a sad mood now and then doesn't lead to all these symptoms always. Also, all these symptoms must cause clinically significant impairment in areas of social, occupational and interpersonal functioning. Being in sad mood may not lead to impairment in functioning. Thus being in a sad mood is normal as long as it doesn't turn into depression. One should be able to recognize when these symptoms start becoming prominent.

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