Question.2078 - Unit 3 will focus on discerning the diagnostic difference between MDD and persistent depressive disorder. You will also perform and assess the loving-kindness meditation. This assignment assesses ULO 3.1. Instructions Please follow these instructions to complete your paper: Describe a time when you were “depressed.” Be specific about symptoms. Then, review the DSM-5 criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD) and persistent depressive disorder (Dysthymic Disorder), and discuss if either diagnosis applies to you. How do you justify your point of view? Formatting Expectations Use APA guidelines for this assignment (12-point font, 1-inch margins, double spaced). A good resource is OWL (https://owl.purdue.edu/index.html) or Averett’s Writing Center. The content, or body, of your paper will be 1 page. All sources should be referenced.
Answer Below:
I went through a trying time in my life, and I had symptoms that may be classified as "depression." For several months, I struggled with a lingering sensation of futility and sadness. It was difficult for me to participate in activities I used to enjoy as I frequently struggled with a lack of energy and motivation. I had trouble falling asleep and waking up a lot during the night, which disturbed my sleep patterns. I also realised I was eating less, which was an unintentional weight loss. It was also difficult for me to focus on assignments, and I often felt unworthy (Benarous et al., 2020). My experiences seem to fit more closely with the DSM-5 criteria for Major Depressive Disorder than for Persistent Depressive Disorder (also known as dysthymic disorder). Even though my symptoms lasted for a long time, they were at their worst and most incapacitating during the period I specified. The diagnosis of MDD requires the presence of five or more of the following symptoms virtually every day for a minimum of two weeks: sleep issues, psychomotor agitation or retardation, fatigue, excessive guilt or worthlessness feelings, difficulty concentrating, loss of interest or pleasure in most activities, depression, fatigue, and frequent thoughts of death (MacKinnon, 2015). I fit the description of a Major Depressive Episode because I went through several of these symptoms strongly for several months. I had more intense and intense symptoms during that particular period, even though persistent depressive disorder, or dysthymic disorder, causes lesser but chronic symptoms that endure for at least two years (Schramm et al., 2020). I support this opinion by pointing out that my symptoms are more in line with the length and severity of a major depressive episode than they are with the chronic, low-grade symptoms that are typical of dysthymic disorder. It is essential to keep in mind that I am not a mental health expert, even though I can make some comparisons between these diagnostic criteria and my experiences. Only licenced clinicians should perform diagnosis and evaluation. References Benarous, X., Renaud, J., Breton, J. J., Cohen, D., Labelle, R., & Guilé, J. M. (2020). Are youths with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder different from youths with major depressive disorder or persistent depressive disorder? Journal of Affective Disorders, 265, 207-215. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.01.020 MacKinnon, D. F. (2015). Depressive disorders: Major depressive disorder and persistent depressive disorder. Psychiatry, 902-965. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118753378.ch50 Schramm, E., Klein, D. N., Elsaesser, M., Furukawa, T. A., & Domschke, K. (2020). Review of dysthymia and persistent depressive disorder: history, correlates, and clinical implications. The Lancet Psychiatry, 7(9), 801-812. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30099-7More Articles From Psychology
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