Diseases
major depressive disorder
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Overview
Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life isn't worth living.
Symptoms
- feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness
- angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters
- loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities, such as sex, etc
- sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much
- tiredness and lack of energy, so even small tasks take extra effort
Causes
- biological differences.
- brain chemistry.
- hormones, and inherited traits.
Risk factors
- certain personality traits, such as low self-esteem and being too dependent, etc
- traumatic or stressful events, such as physical or sexual abuse, etc
- history of other mental health disorders, such as anxiety disorder, etc
Diagnosis
- physical exam.
- psychiatric evaluation.
- lab tests.
- diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (dsm-5)
Medicines used
Frequently asked questions
What is major depressive disorder?
Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life isn't worth living.
What are the symptoms of major depressive disorder?
feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness, angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters, loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities, such as sex, etc, sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much, tiredness and lack of energy, so even small tasks take extra effort
What causes major depressive disorder?
biological differences.; brain chemistry.; hormones, and inherited traits.
Which medicines are used for major depressive disorder?
aripiprazole, bupropion, desvenlafaxine, duloxetine, escitalopram, esketamine, fluoxetine, quetiapine, reboxetine, sertraline, tranylcypromine, venlafaxine, vilazodone, vortioxetine
Full monographs, dosing and an interaction checker in the MediHelp app
Open the complete reference, check multi-drug interactions and use dosing tools in the MediHelp app.