Consider a fictional patient, Marta. Marta’s life hasn’t been going well for the past month. She has been feeling quite sad, crying at the slightest provocation. She is suffering from insomnia and is very fatigued. She constantly compares her failures to others’ successes, which makes her feel worthless. Her boss is annoyed that she has called in sick from work the past 3 days, but she just could not handle the stress of her work environment.
Her appetite is normal, however. She is not suicidal, in fact she still finds enjoyment in all of her hobbies and interests. She is neither distracted nor forgetful, but her thinking is as clear as it ever has been.
Is Marta depressed?
The DSM-IV defines two depressive disorders, Major Depressive Disorder and dysthymia. In order to have MDD, a patient must have at least 5 of the following 9 symptoms, and one of these must be one of the first two. In addition, the symptoms must have occurred for at least two weeks.