Major Depressive Disorder (Oxford American Psychiatry Library)

Depressive disorders are among the most common conditions in the world and are the leading causes of disability, affecting millions of people. Depression is also a common secondary condition, occurring at increased rates alongside virtually any illness that impacts brain function. Because it is so common, people suffering from depression seek help from a wide variety of clinicians, including: family doctors, pediatricians, gynecologists, psychiatrists, internists, psychologists, social workers and other therapists. In fact, depression is so common that the demand for care far exceeds the availability of psychiatrists, so that most depression is treated by other professionals in other specialty fields. For clinicians without significant experience treating depression, managing the condition can be confusing. This pocket-sized guide was specifically written with this diverse group of clinicians in mind. It provides a concise, practical and current overview of depressive disorders, including making a diagnosis, identifying important medical and psychiatric comorbidities, and describes our current understanding of the epidemiology, genetics and neurobiology of the condition. In addition to these topics, most of this book is focused on a programmatic approach toward managing depression, including subpopulations such as children or women who are pregnant. This book may also be of interest for people experiencing depression and their families to help guide treatment seeking and provide education. Dr. Stephen Strakowski and Dr. Erik Nelson are internationally recognized and trusted experts in the study and treatment of mood disorders whose own extensive clinical experience working with people with depression guides this book. Major depressive disorder affects approximately 15% of the population and is the leading cause of morbidity in the industrial world. Understanding the onset and underlying neurophysiology of this complex disorder is critical to providing the best treatment approaches. Drs. Stephen M. Strakowski and Erik B. Nelson's Major Depressive Disorder provides a concise and current overview of depressive disorders. This book features a pair of internationally recognized experts who provides practical and succinct descriptions of depression, presenting a programmatic approach to management and treatment in order to systematically develop the best options. This pocket volume is a quick reference guide for the busy practitioner Cover 1 Major Depressive Disorder 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Dedication 8 1. Introduction 10 2. Making a Diagnosis of Depression 14 3. Epidemiology of Depressive Disorders 24 4. Illness Comorbidity and Co-occurrence with Depressive Disorders 32 5. Neurophysiology of Depressive Disorders 40 6. Genetics of Depression 52 7. Psychopharmacology and Other Biological Therapies in the Management of Depression 58 8. Psychotherapy and Related Techniques 78 9. A Programmatic Approach to Treatment 84 10. Managing Special Populations 96 Appendix: Example Mood Chart 108 Index 110 In this OAPL pocket volume, Drs. Stephen Strakowski and Erik Nelson provide practitioners with practical and succinct descriptions of this illness and its management for clinicians without significant experience treating depressive disorders.