What it means
A group of mental health conditions whose main feature is a depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure, often with changes in sleep, appetite, energy, focus and sense of self-worth. The best-known type is major depressive disorderMAY-jer dih-PRES-iv dis-OR-derA mental illness in which a person has a low mood or loses interest in almost everything for at least two weeks.Full entry , in which symptoms last at least two weeks. Others include persistent depressive disorder, which lasts two years or more, and depression caused by a medical condition or a substance. Treatment includes talk therapy and antidepressant drugs.
For the nurse
Ask directly about thoughts of suicide, and report and act on any plan. Watch sleep, eating and self-care, and teach that antidepressants can take several weeks to work.
At a glance
| Also written | depressive disorders |
|---|
Related terms
antidepressant
A drug used to treat depression and often anxiety, which works by changing the levels of brain chemicals such as serotonin.
suicidal ideation
Thinking about, considering or planning suicide.
major depressive disorder
A mental illness in which a person has a low mood or loses interest in almost everything for at least two weeks.