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_Sky said:
According to DSM-IV, the diagnostic manual from American Psychiatric Association, criteria used by mental health professionals, you have Major Depressive Disorder if:

You have had an episode of depression lasting at least two weeks with at least five of the following symptoms:
(1) You are depressed, sad, blue, tearful.
(2) You have lost interest or pleasure in things you previously liked to do.
(3) Your appetite is much less or much greater than usual and you have lost or gained weight.
(4) You have a lot of trouble sleeping or sleep too much.
(5) You are so agitated, restless, or slowed down that others have begun to notice.
(6) You are tired and have no energy.
(7) You feel worthless or excessively guilty about things you have done or not done.
(8) You have trouble concentrating, thinking clearly, or making decisions.
(9) You feel you would be better off dead or have thoughts about killing yourself.

These symptoms are severe enough to upset your daily routine, or to seriously impair your work, or to interfere with your relationships.

The depression does not have a specific cause like alcohol, drugs, medication side effect, or physical illness.

Your depression is not just a normal reaction to the death of a loved one.

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Yes, that means you have depression aka 296.xx. And, as you know of course, they need to decide whether it is recurrent, and how severe it is.....

Specifiers associated with the mood disorders are listed below:

Mild: A few symptoms, if any, are present beyond what is needed to make a diagnosis, and a person can function normally although with extra effort.

Moderate: The severity of symptoms is between mild and severe. For a manic episode, a person's activity is increased or judgment is impaired.

Severe Without Psychotic Features: Most symptoms are present and a person clearly has little or no ability to function. For a manic or mixed episode, a person needs to be supervised to protect him/her from harm to self or others.

Severe With Psychotic Features: A person experiences hallucinations or delusions. Psychoses may develop in about 15% of those with major depressive disorder. The presence of delusions and hallucinations often interfere with a person's ability to make sound judgments about consequences of their actions and this may put them at risk for harming themselves. Psychotic symptoms are serious and a person in this condition needs immediate medical attention and possibly hospitalization. (from http://www.allaboutdepression.com/dia_01.html)

Severe depressive disorder is dibilitating. It's causes major impairment.

Someone mentioned fortitude....this dx has more to do with serotonin then fortitude...imo.

em