Depression cont.
Conditions A young person who experiences diagnosable clinical depression will have at least two of the following symptoms for at least two weeks. Not everyone who experiences depression has all these symptoms, however: – An unusually sad mood that does not go away – Loss of enjoyment and interest in activities that used to be enjoyable – Lack of energy and tiredness Single episode depressive disorder A depressive episode is a period of depressed mood or diminished interest in activities occurring most of the day, nearly every day, during a period lasting at least two weeks. It is accompanied by other symptoms such as difficulty concentrating, feelings of worthlessness, thoughts of suicide, changes in appetite or sleep, and reduced energy or fatigue. Single episode depressive disorder is characterised by the presence of one depressive episode when there is no history of prior depressive episodes (183). Recurrent depressive disorder Some young people will go on to experience multiple depressive episodes separated by a significant period of time, such as several months. In these cases, they may be diagnosed with recurrent depressive disorder (183). Bipolar disorder Many young people with depression will experience more than one episode of depression during their life. However, there are some young people who experience depression on some occasions and mania on others. Many of these might receive a diagnosis of bipolar
Page 218
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker