Dr. K - Emotional Health Mentor

Maybe you've received a diagnosis of major depressive disorder, or you just want to know what it is. Well in this post, I'm going to walk you through the diagnostic criteria so you come away understanding what major depressive disorder is… and what it isn't. And be sure to stick around until the end, as I'll share some insight into how lifestyle choices can positively impact mental health…and some personal words of encouragement.

Let's first define major depressive disorder by its diagnostic criteria as per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

A. 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 (1) depressed mood or (2) loss of interest or pleasure.

Before we dive into these, let's just ensure that part settled. There's 9 items in this upcoming list, and five or more have to be met during a two week period, AND,...