Major depressive and dysthymic disorders.

Elzamzamy, Khalid; Khan, Yasser Saeed

Human beings of all ages experience a continuum of emotional and affective states ranging from happy and joyful states to sad and pessimistic feelings. When extremes of affective states become persistent, pervasive, and maladaptive, they may lead to functional impairments in academic and social settings. "Depression" is the broad term for the diagnostic entity concerned with persistent sad or irritable mood states in children and adolescents. The core features of depressive disorders are largely similar across the lifespan with some differences that are accounted for by developmental factors. Depressive disorders are the main cause of global burden of disease in young people aged 10-24 years and are considered a key risk factor for suicide in youth. This article discusses two major disorders: 1) major depressive disorder and 2) persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia). The discussion provides an overview of the prevalence and clinical features of each disorder. Next, it highlights important clinical diagnostic considerations and concludes by presenting evidence-based treatment recommendations.

QATAR; DIAGNOSIS of mental depression; SUICIDE risk factors; DYSTHYMIC disorder; FAMILY psychotherapy; SEROTONIN uptake inhibitors; PSYCHODYNAMIC psychotherapy; SEVERITY of illness index; MENTAL depression; DISEASE prevalence; MEDICAL referrals; TERMINATION of treatment; COMBINED modality therapy; COGNITIVE therapy; SYMPTOMS

Journal of Alternative Medicine Research, 2022, Vol 14, Issue 3, p225

1939-5868

Academic Journal