Chronic major depressive episode and dysthymia: comparison of demographic and clinical characteristics

1993 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 277-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
GB Cassano ◽  
M Savino
Keyword(s):  
Family History ◽  
Depressive Episode ◽  
Clinical Characteristics ◽  
Major Depressive Episode ◽  
Bipolar Depression ◽  
Chronic Depression ◽  
The Other ◽  
Major Depressive ◽  
Single Episode

SummaryIn an attempt to better delineate demographic and clinical characteristics of mild chronic depressions, 46 outpatients fulfilling DSM III-R criteria for dysthymia were compared with patients suffering from a chronic major depressive episode. The profile obtained from our dysthymic sample matches with those reported by other authors. The comparison between “minor” and major chronic depression was also carried out by subdividing these latter into unipolar - recurrent and single episode - and bipolar depression. Dysthymics showed a bipolar family history closer to that of bipolar chronic major depressives which was significantly higher than that recorded in the other sub-categories.

scholarly journals View from the bottom

1990 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 452-454 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Patient Care ◽  
Depressive Episode ◽  
Psychiatric Illness ◽  
Major Depressive Episode ◽  
The Other ◽  
Physical Treatment ◽  
Major Depressive ◽  
The Future ◽  
Insight Into

Last year I was unfortunate enough to suffer a major depressive episode which required in-patient care and extensive physical treatment. I have now progressed far enough from the experience to be able to look at it more objectively, and to think about the implications it will have for my own practice of psychiatry in the future. I hope that what I have observed, reflected upon and learnt will make me a better psychiatrist, more in touch with the needs and fears of my patients, and that my view of ward dynamics “from the other side” will give me more insight into why things happen as they do. The thoughts that follow are offered not as a critique of my care, which was excellent and for which I am very grateful, but merely as a view of the practice of psychiatry from an alternative standpoint. Hopefully they may encapsulate some of the difficulties faced by the depressed in-patient, although of course they cannot presume to speak for those suffering from other forms of psychiatric illness.

scholarly journals A Comparative Study of Depressive Episode in Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Disorder

2016 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Arijit Mondal ◽  
Sumit Mukherjee ◽  
Sayanti Ghosh ◽  
Divya Gopal Mukherjee
Keyword(s):  
Bipolar Disorder ◽  
Major Depressive Disorder ◽  
Family History ◽  
Depressive Disorder ◽  
Depressive Episode ◽  
Bipolar Depression ◽  
Unipolar Depression ◽  
Major Depressive ◽  
Demographic Profile ◽  
Suicidal Ideas

Distinguishing between major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder is important because there are differences in the optimal management of these conditions. Antidepressant treatment of bipolar depression (BPD) can adversely affect long-term prognosis by causingdestabilisation of mood and more frequent depressive episodes, and can lead to the development of treatment resistance. Most people with bipolar disorder experience depression rather than mania as their first episode of illness. It is clinically desirable to recognise, or at least to suspect,bipolar depression at an early stage of a bipolar illness.  OBJECTIVE : Comparison of depressive episode in major depressive disorder and bipolar affective disorder in a tertiary care general hospital, psychiatry unit.  METHOD : 80 cases of unipolar depression and 54 cases of bipolar depression were compared on the basis of socio-demographic profile, family history of mood disorder and clinical features using Semi structured questionnaire for socio-demographic profile and validated Bengaliversion of Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).  RESULTS : Bipolar depression is characterized by early age of onset, more number of previous episodes, positive family history, more severe in nature associated with prominent features of guilt feeling, self dislike, self accusation, suicidal ideas, irritability, social withdrawal, fatigability and loss of libido. Major depressive disorder shows female preponderance, more number of stressful life events before episodes. Body image change, insomnia, anorexia, weight loss, somatic pre-occupation are more in unipolar depression.

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