In this episode we cover both the symptoms and the various underlying causes of depression including: physiological, mental, emotional and spiritual causes. We take a very brief look at why some people struggle with emotional states more than others and some quick tips on how to begin to approach these emotional states more effectively.

For the Depression Inventory click here

DSM-IV Criteria:

For a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder 5 or more of the following symptoms have to be present during the same 2-week period and at least one of the symptoms should be either (1) depressed mood or (2) loss of interest or pleasure.

• Depressed mood
• Decreased interest in activities
• Weight loss or weight gain
• Trouble sleeping
• Feeling restless or feeling slowed down
• Fatigue or loss of energy
• Feeling worthless or excessive or inappropriate guilt
• Diminished ability to concentrate, or indecisiveness
• Recurrent thoughts of death/suicide

For a diagnosis of Dysthymic Disorder, while feeling depressed a patient much have 2 or more of the following. Which needs to be present for 2 years or more:

• Poor appetite or overeating
• Insomnia/hypersomnia
• Low energy or fatigue
• Low self-esteem
• Poor concentration or difficulty making decisions
• Feelings of hopelessness

Systemic Umbrella Review:

Moncrieff, J., Cooper, R.E., Stockmann, T. et al. The serotonin theory of depression: a systematic umbrella review of the evidence. Mol Psychiatry (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-022-01661-0