Main diagnosis page

Return to the full Major Depressive Disorder pillar page.

Clinical overview

• Major depressive disorder is usually the picture people imagine when they think of a true depressive episode: a sustained drop in mood or interest, plus changes in sleep, energy, appetite, thinking, and day-to-day functioning that feel like a clear shift from the person's baseline.
• Clinical frame: Think in episodes. The key question is whether this looks like at least 2 weeks of symptoms that clearly differ from the person's usual self.
• Rule-outs: Before settling on MDD, slow down and check for bipolarity, substance effects, psychosis, grief context, and medical contributors.
• Specifier thinking: Once the episode is established, the next useful step is asking how it presents: anxious distress, melancholic features, psychosis, seasonality, catatonia, or peripartum onset can all change management.

Related Guides

• Major Depressive Disorder DSM Criteria Guide
• Major Depressive Disorder Scales and Assessment Tools
• Major Depressive Disorder Treatments and Medications
• When to Seek Professional Help for Major Depressive Disorder