depressive affective disorder
Last reviewed 07/2021
Recurrent depressive disorder describes the tendency of an individual to suffer recurrent episodes of depressed mood.
Recurrent depressive disorder has a spectrum of severity.
The characteristic features of a depressed patient are:
- in a mild to moderate case:
- a sad appearance
- sad feelings
- sad thought processes
- biological symptoms and sign of depression
- in a severe case:
- delusions of worthlessness, guilt, nihilism etc
- hallucinations, usually auditory
- suicidal ideation
The diagnostic criteria for major depression, mild depression and dysthymia are available in the linked item.