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Psychotic Depression Test

Psychotic  Depression

Although rare, Psychotic depression (PMD) affects a sizable number of people across the globe. It usually occurs in episodes, meaning that it only lasts for a period of time. It an however become chronic in which case one can experience episodes often. PMD is actually a sub-type of major depression.

A major symptom of Psychotic depression that you can experience is to become paranoid. You experience delusion, developing beliefs and feelings that are otherwise unfounded and cannot be supported by any facts. This is usually the result of misinterpreting past events. What happens is that you remain always suspicious and have a wrong belief that others are not only paying attention to what you do but are also against you. The feeling of guilt you come to develop results from the wrong belief that whatever it is that you are going through stems from your past mistakes, which you are being punished for.

You are also likely to develop a wrong and strong belief that there is something very wrong with your body or physical attributes. You come to believe that you do not resemble others when there is nothing actually wrong with you. Although very rare, you may at times experience hallucinations; hearing and seeing things that others around you do not hear or see. Other symptoms you are bound to experience include lack of sleep and memory loss. Like with any other type of depression, you are bound to have suicidal thoughts.

It can be very difficult to know if you have Psychotic depression. This is because most episodes occur at the age between 20 and 40 years and can only last for up to two years before fading away. You may also experience between 4 and 9 episodes in your lifetime. Unlike other types of depression, you are bound to continue living a normal life without any serious effects. Psychotic depression is largely thought to be caused by an over-activated hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis, which is the stress hormone axis. Other likely causes include negative changes in the brain that occur due to low barometric pressure.

Effective treatment for Psychotic depression is only possible with establishment of the cause. Various treatment options are otherwise available. An interesting feature of the condition is that it does not respond to monotherapy treatments. A combination of treatment methods is the only way to dealing with the condition. Combinations of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants and electroconvulsive therapy treatment options are the most popular. There are several other treatment options still under development.

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