Major Depressive Disorder (clinical depression) A brain disorder characterized by persistent depressed mood or loss of interest in activities, causing significant impairment in daily life. (Mayo Clinic …show more content…
Diagnostic Criteria Major Depressive Disorder (clinical depression), you must have five or more of the following symptoms over a two-week period, most of the day, nearly every day. At least one of the symptoms must be either a depressed mood or a loss of interest or pleasure. Signs and symptoms may include:
Depressed mood, such as feeling sad, empty or tearful (in children and teens, a depressed mood can appear as constant irritability)
Significantly reduced interest or feeling no pleasure in all or most activities
Significant weight loss when not dieting, weight gain, or decrease or increase in appetite (in children, failure to gain weight as expected)
Insomnia or increased desire to sleep
Either restlessness or slowed behavior that can be observed by