Diagnosis of clinical depression
A diagnosis if based on one of the following two elements being present for at least two weeks:
- depressed mood, or
- the absence of pleasure or the ability to experience it – anhedonia.
In addition, at least five of the following ten symptoms must also occur:
- feelings of overwhelming sadness, fear or lack of emotion
- decreased interest in daily activities
- changing appetite and marked weight gain or loss
- disturbed sleep patterns
- unintentional and purposeless movements
- fatigue, mental or physical, and loss of energy
- intense feelings of guilt, anxiety, hopelessness and worthlessness
- trouble concentrating, making decisions or remembering
- recurrent thoughts of death or suicide
- fear of being abandoned by those close to one.