Major Depressive Disorder Treatments
What Causes Major Depressive Disorder? Major depressive disorder (MDD) has been ranked as the third cause of the burden of disease worldwide by WHO and is one of the most common mental disorders in the United States [1]. In 2020, an estimated 14.8 million U.S. adults aged 18 or older had at least one major depressive episode with severe impairment in the past year. This number represented 6.0% of all U.S. adults [2]. Moreover, 66.0% of U.S. adults aged 18 or older with major depressive episodes received major depressive disorder treatments in the past year. MDD is diagnosed when an individual has a persistently low or depressed mood, anhedonia or decreased interest in pleasurable activities, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, lack of energy, poor concentration, appetite changes, psychomotor retardation or agitation, sleep disturbances, or suicidal thoughts. Per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5), an individual must have five major depressive disorder symptoms, one of which must be a depressed mood or anhedonia causing social or occupational impairment, to be diagnosed with MDD. The potential causes and risk factors for depression include: Biochemistry: Differences in the levels of certain brain chemicals can make you more prone to…