<H1 class=Heading1a itxtvisited="1">Psychotic Depression Symptoms</H1>By Hunter Darden, eHow Contributor

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Approximately 25 percent of depressed hospitalized people suffer from psychotic depression. Psychotic depression is believed to be caused by a thyroid gland that is functioning abnormally or an overproduction of cortisol hormone during especially stressful times of life. It can also be hereditary. Psychotic depression encompasses feelings of severe depression. This includes aspects of psychosis which could manifest into hallucinations, delusions and irrational behavior. Some feel that something is wrong with their outward appearance or physical body. They may display unreasonable anger. Or they may twist their lives around by spending their time in bed sleeping during the day and awake through the night. They may be neglectful about changing their clothes or bathing and paying attention to their appearance.

1. <H2 class=Heading3a itxtvisited="1">The Danger of High Cortisol Levels and Psychotic Depression</H2><LI id=jsArticleStep1 itxtvisited="1">A high level of cortisol in the blood system is considered to be one of the underlying reasons for psychotic depression. It is a necessary steroid hormone that is produced by the adrenal glands. Higher levels of cortisol are produced in the morning. They slowly taper off during the course of the day and level off around 4 p.m. Higher levels of cortisol are produced during more emotionally and physically stressful periods, also. <H2 class=Heading3a itxtvisited="1">The Inner Emotions of Psychotic Depression</H2><LI id=jsArticleStep1 itxtvisited="1">Most people with diagnosed psychotic depression are typically aware that their fantasies and apparitions are not founded. It makes it more complicated to diagnose this because these sufferers try to hide their symptoms out of embarrassment. Low self-esteem is often at the root of the disorder which fosters disinterest in activities. Mood swings are common occurrences. The reoccurrence of psychotic depression increases the threat of bipolar depression, and the possibility of suicide is entertained by them. <H2 class=Heading3a itxtvisited="1">Physical Symptoms of Psychotic Depression</H2><LI id=jsArticleStep1 itxtvisited="1">The physical symptoms of psychotic depression include: physical immobility, anxiety, constipation, intellectual impairment, insomnia, hypochondria and psychosis. A person may also have chronic sleeplessness. It is hard to diagnose it because it's difficult to get people with the disease to vocalize their issues. The symptoms are confused sometimes with schizophrenia. There can also be weight loss or gain, feelings of worthlessness and an inability to focus. <H2 class=Heading3a itxtvisited="1">Physical Treatment for Psychotic Depression</H2><LI id=jsArticleStep1 itxtvisited="1">Hospitalization is recommended for an intense level of treatment. Medication, in the form of an antidepressant, or an antipsychotic drug is effective. Electro-convulsive treatment may also be used if the medications are not as successful. During the exam, the electrodes are put on the scalp of the patient and electric currents are applied. It controls the convulsions and helps with the release of a neurochemical in the brain. The side effect can be short term memory loss. <H2 class=Heading3a itxtvisited="1">Emotional Treatment for Psychotic Depression</H2>
2. Counseling sessions are also highly recommended and effective. The treatment for psychotic depression is typically effective. People have been known to recover within a year's time. However, it is imperative that there be consistent follow-up treatment for an ensured healthy psyche.

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296.1 Manic-depressive psychosis, depressed type

An affective psychosis in which there is a widespread depressed mood of gloom
and wretchedness with some degree of anxiety. There is often reduced activity
but there may be restlessness and agitation. There is a marked tendency to
recurrence; in a few cases this may be at regular intervals.
Depressive psychosis Manic-depressive psychosis or reaction
Endogenous depression Monopolar depression
Involutional melancholia Psychotic depression
Excludes: circular type, if previous attack was of manic type (296.3)
depression NOS (311)
_________________________________________________
Manic Depressive Psychosis

Depressive Psychosis takes three forms:

1. Simple retardation - In this condition the patient suffers from serious mental disturbances so that the physical and menatl processes lose their vitality and energy.
2. Acute melancholia - In this condition the patient suffers from a greater depression and the blues than in the previous condition. The patient develops a sense of inadequacy and this sometimes even led to suicide.
3. Suporous melancholia - In this condition the tendency towards suicide is further strengthened because the patient is now disappointed with life. The feeling for crime and sin grows, she/he is seen crying, vituperating and irritated with herself/himself.

Kinds of Manic Depressive Psychosis

1. Recurrent mania - In this the patient experiences a recurrent of waves of mania, so that conditions of excitement and peace alternate quite rapidly.
2. Recurrent melancholia - in this patient experience a state of melancholia depression.
3. Alternate manic depression - In this the patient experience excitement or mania, then returns to his normal condition but then moves on to a state of depression. in this manner he oscillates between mania and depression.
4. Manic depression of double form - Here the patient have both mania and depression.
5. Circular manic depression - The disease goes from mania to depression in a circular pattern.
6. _____________________________

Psychotic depression is a severe form of depression wherein, an individual demonstrates depressive symptoms along with psychosis or irrational behavior. Although this form of depression is less common compared to melancholic or non-melancholic depression, its severity can be realized by the fact that 25% of the patients hospitalized for any illness related to depression suffer from psychotic depression. Psychotic depression is one such mental disorder which can even lead to suicidal tendencies.

Although a topic of debate so far, it is assumed that psychotic depression may be caused due to abnormal functioning of thyroid or excessive production of cortical hormone during the periods of stress. It's also believed that psychotic depression can be hereditary.

Psychotic Depression Symptoms

In addition to severely depressed mood and frequent mood swings, irrational behaviors like hallucination and delusion are observed in an individual suffering from this form of depression. The individual can hear voices and see things which don't actually exist, the former being quite common phenomena. Some common delusions may include the individual's belief that something is wrong with his physical appearance or his body, which in fact is not true.

A person suffering from psychotic depression may show signs of anxiety and mental distress. Other symptoms of this disease include frequent frightening dreams, chronic sleeplessness, physical immobility and psychosis. The people suffering from this disease don't usually open up, hence it's difficult to diagnose it. The other thing, which hampers the proper diagnosis of psychotic depression is the fact that its symptoms are more or less similar to the symptoms noticed in other forms of neuropathy like schizophrenia.