Criteria

International classification of diseases, eleventh edition (ICD-11)​[2]

ICD-11 depressive disorders are subdivided into single-episode and recurrent types, with designations for severity of the most recent episode and, in severe cases, the presence or absence of psychosis (hallucinations or delusions).

Symptoms include:

  • Depressed mood

  • Diminished interest/capacity for pleasure

  • Change in sleep

  • Psychomotor change

  • Reduced energy; fatigue

  • Feelings of worthlessness; excessive or inappropriate guilt

  • Hopelessness

  • Difficulty concentrating

  • Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.

Mild depression is diagnosed when no symptom is present to an intense degree and there is some, but not considerable, functional impairment.

Moderate depression denotes several symptoms present to a marked degree and considerable but not complete functional impairment.

Severe depression is diagnosed when many or most of the characteristic symptoms of depression are present to a marked degree, and/or several are present to an intense degree, and there is complete or near-complete functional impairment.

Note: the presence of psychotic symptoms by definition defines an episode as moderate or severe.

Additionally, ICD-11 includes under the depressive disorder category a diagnosis of dysthymic disorder, and a new one for mixed anxiety and depressive disorder.

Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fifth edition, text revision (DSM-5-TR)[1]

DSM-5-TR divides depressive disorders into:

  • Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder

  • Major depressive disorder (including major depressive episode)

  • Persistent depressive disorder (previously known as dysthymic disorder)

  • Premenstrual dysphoric disorder

  • Substance-/medication-induced depressive disorder

  • Depressive disorder due to another medical condition

  • Other specified depressive disorders

  • Unspecified depressive disorder

  • Unspecified mood disorder.

Major depression[1]

Five or more of the following symptoms have been present during the same 2-week period and represent a change from previous functioning. At least one of the symptoms is either depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure:

  • Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, as self-reported or observed by others

  • Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all or almost all activities, for most of the day, nearly every day

  • Significant weight loss when not dieting, weight gain or decrease, or increase in appetite nearly every day

  • Insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day

  • Psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day

  • Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day

  • Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt nearly every day

  • Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day

  • Recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, a specific suicide plan, or a suicide attempt.

In addition, these symptoms:

  • Cause functional impairment (e.g., social, occupational)

  • Are not better explained by substance abuse, medication side effects, or other psychiatric or somatic medical conditions.

There are 3 degrees of severity of major depression defined in the DSM-5-TR:

  • Mild: few, if any, symptoms more than number required for diagnosis of major depression, the intensity of the symptoms is distressing but manageable, and the symptoms result in minor functional impairment

  • Moderate: the number of symptoms, intensity of symptoms, and/or functional impairment are between those specified for ‘mild’ and ‘severe’ depression

  • Severe: the number of symptoms is substantially in excess of that required to make the diagnosis, the intensity of the symptoms is seriously distressing and unmanageable, and the symptoms markedly interfere with social and occupational functioning.

The following specifiers may be added to the diagnosis of depressive disorder:

  • With anxious distress

  • With mixed features (if there are at least 3 associated manic/hypomanic symptoms)

  • With melancholic features

  • With atypical features

  • With psychotic features

  • With catatonia

  • With peripartum onset

  • With seasonal pattern.

Depressive disorder (subthreshold or minor depression)

Subthreshold (minor) depression is not defined in DSM-5-TR, but when used in the past it referred to a patient who had from 2-4 depressive symptoms, including either sad mood or anhedonia for at least 2 weeks.[5]

Depressive disorder due to:

  • Substance/medication use/abuse: full or partial major depressive syndrome attributable to pharmaceuticals or other intoxicants

  • Medical condition: full or partial major depressive syndrome attributable to another somatic medical illness

  • Other (specified or unspecified) depressive disorder: major depressive syndrome attributable to another external or somatic cause, or a depressive syndrome that for other known or unknown reasons falls short of a full major depressive syndrome.

Persistent depressive disorder[1]

Depressed mood, for more days than not, for ≥2 years. Impairment compared with major depressive disorder may be less severe. During the 2 years, the patient has never been without symptoms for more than 2 months at a time.

Two or more of the following symptoms are present while depressed:

  • Poor appetite or overeating

  • Insomnia or hypersomnia

  • Low energy or fatigue

  • Low self-esteem

  • Fatigue

  • Poor concentration or difficulty making decisions

  • Feelings of hopelessness.

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