Depression: The ICD-10 Classification Of Mental Disorders

Depression

Depression is a common mental disorder that is characterized by loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, low energy, and poor concentration, insomnia or hypersomnia, and occasionally suicidal thoughts. Depression often occurs as a result of adverse life events, such as: the loss of a significant person, object, relationship or health. However, it can also occur due to no apparent cause. These problems can become chronic or recurrent and lead to substantial impairment in an individual's ability to take care of their everyday responsibilities. The ICD-10 classification of mood disorders includes different forms of depression such as: bipolar affective disorder, depressive episode,

Depression is associated with a combination of genetic, psychological, environmental, and biological factors. Risk factors for depression include pregnancy, childbirth, (peri) menopause, hormonal factors and menstruation, (low tolerance to) stress, impulsive behavior, alcohol or substance abuse, and family history of depression, alcohol abuse or suicide. Other factors such as poverty, severe or chronic medical conditions, insomnia, being a female, intimate partner violence, (childhood) sexual abuse and tobacco use are also associated with depression. Depression in young people may be expressed differently from that in adults, with manifest behavioral disorders (including irritability, verbal aggression and misconduct), substance abuse and/or concurrent psychiatric problems, suicidal thoughts, hopelessness, social isolation, overeating and oversleeping, and rage. In the elderly, the physical and behavioral symptoms of depression are usually so intense that they mask the psychological ones, up to the point that they may seem to suffer “depression without sadness”. The coexistence of several chronic conditions complicates the diagnosis. Meanwhile, many different classes of drugs that elderly people receive could potentially

Rather, it likely results from a combination of genetic, biochemical, environmental, and psychological factors. Research indicates that depressive illnesses are disorders of the brain. Brain-imaging technologies, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), have shown that the brains of people who have depression look different than those of people without depression. The parts of the brain responsible for regulating mood, thinking, sleep, appetite, and behavior appear to function abnormally. In addition, important neurotransmitters—chemicals that brain cells use to communicate—appear to be out of balance. But these images do not reveal why the depression has occurred. Some types of depression tend to run in families, suggesting a genetic link. However, depression can occur in people without family histories of it as well. Genetics research indicates that risk for depression results from the influence of multiple genes acting together with environmental or other factors. In addition, trauma, loss of a loved one, a difficult relationship, or any stressful situation may trigger a depressive episode. Subsequent depressive episodes may occur with or without an obvious