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  • Chapter 3.1 - Clinical Features of Depressive Disorders

  • Edited by David Kingdon, University of Southampton, Paul Rowlands, Derbyshire Healthcare NHS foundation Trust, George Stein, Emeritus of the Princess Royal University Hospital
  • Book:
    Seminars in General Adult Psychiatry
    Published online:
    04 April 2024
    Print publication:
    18 April 2024, pp 64-88

  • Summary

    Depressive disorders have been recognised since antiquity, although how they have been described and understood has changed considerably over time. In this chapter, we outline key aspects of the history of depression as well as some of the limitations in its current classification in ICD-11 and DSM-5. We describe the range of symptoms experienced in depressive disorders, together with the recognised variations in clinical presentation and how these are conceptualised and classified. The relationship between depression and related disorders including anxiety disorders, premenstrual dysphoric disorder and grief is discussed, as well as boundary issues with bipolar disorder and primary psychotic disorders. We review current knowledge about depression’s considerable psychiatric and medical comorbidity, along with its epidemiology, natural history and health burden. A brief practical guide to assessing depressive disorders is given, together with rating scales that are useful for clinical assessment and monitoring.