Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a mood disorder characterized by at least two weeks of depressed mood or loss of interest in activities. It can cause disturbances in appetite, sleep, energy levels, concentration, self-esteem and suicidal thoughts. MDD has intrapsychic, environmental and biological causes. Symptoms include depressed mood, changes in appetite and sleep, feelings of worthlessness, and thoughts of death. Treatment involves electroconvulsive therapy, antidepressants like fluoxetine and sertraline, and psychotherapy.

1. Major Depressive
Disorder
By: Andrew Rowland

2. Definition
• A mood disorder having a clinical course involving one or
more episodes of serious psychological depression that last
two or more weeks each, do not have intervening episodes of
mania or hypomania, and are characterized by a loss of
interest or pleasure in almost all activities and by some or all
of disturbances of appetite, sleep, or psychomotor
functioning, a decrease in energy, difficulties in thinking or
making decisions, loss of self-esteem or feelings of guilt, and
suicidal thoughts or attempts

3. The episode of depression must last two weeks
or more to be considered MDD

4. What is Major
Depressive Disorder?
• A depressive disorder is a syndrome (group of
symptoms) that reflects a sad and/or irritable mood
exceeding normal sadness or grief
• More specifically, the sadness of depression is
characterized by a greater intensity and duration
and by more severe symptoms and functional
disabilities than is normal

5. Irritable moods
or
Sad moods can be part of
MDD

6. “Diagnosing” MDD
• Generally MDD consists of some or all of the following
characteristics
- A long-lasting depressed mood or marked loss of
interest or pleasure (anhedonia) in all or nearly all
activities
- Children and adolescents may be irritable instead of
sad
- These have to interfere significantly with one’s daily
functioning to be considered MDD

7. With MDD life
can
be...well...like
this

8. Causes of MDD
• The causes are generally considered to fall
into one of these categories
- Intrapsychic
- Environmental
- Or Biological

9. Intrapsychic
• Intrapsychic is defined as occurring inside the mind
• Some people blame themselves for negative
experiences while attributing positive outcomes to
external sources; they may tend to feel guilty,
undeserving, and eventually depressed
• The theory of learned helplessness suggests that
people become depressed when they have long-
term experiences of helplessness

10. Technically the voices are schizophrenia but intrapsychic is
basically any inner conflicts

11. Environmental
• Environmental reasons are any sort of
external factor
- ex: major loss, financial problem, difficult
relationship etc.
• This kind causes people to become
depressed primarily due to unfortunate
circumstances that are difficult to change

12. Example of a major loss

13. Biological
• Some psychologists believe that MDD can
be passed down through generations
• It is also believed that a lack of certain
neurotransmitters may also cause
depression

14. This guy could too
>
If this guy has depression... ^

15. Miscellaneous Facts
• MDD is usually triggered by an obviously
painful event but it can also be caused by a
specific stressor
• Research suggests that the initial episode of
MDD usually starts with a specific stimulus
but later episodes can start without a
triggering event

16. The first time is usually triggered
While the second can just be
spontaneous

17. Side effects
• Find tasks difficult and burdensome
• Mental efficiency and memory are affected
• Sexual interest decreases
• Become withdrawn and avoid social contact
• Suicidal thoughts and actions

18. Symptoms
• Depressed mood
• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities
• Change in appetite (usually very frequently)
• Insomnia or hypersomnia
• Sense of worthlessness or unreasonable guilt
over minor failures
• Recurrent thoughts of suicide or death

19. Treatment
• Treatment of depression is
generally done by:
- Electroconvulsive Therapy: a
very effective treatment despite
its poor approval ratings
- Serotonin re-uptake inhibitors:
ones like fluoxetine and
sertraline have fewer side
effects than their predecessors
and work very well
- As always there is still the
classic psychotherapy in which
therapists help patients
overcome depression