Understanding Major Depressive Disorder ICD 10

major depressive disorder icd 10

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Depression is a major mental health challenge for people who suffer from it. It is true that for some people their depression is something that they have a genetic predisposition for. This means that it can ‘run in the family’ as the expression goes. No matter why a person has depression there’s going to be a need to find a way to minimize the effect it has on them.

That’s because dealing with major depressive disorder ICD 10 or any other variation of the condition can very much affect a person’s quality of life and their ability to be a contributing member of society.

Looking at depression from a classification perspective is not a particularly interesting or engaging way to cover the topic. Instead, we will try to look at diagnosing depression from a more everyday perspective. Rather than talking about major depressive disorder ICD 10 so clinically we’ll talk about dealing with recurrent depression in a more digestible way.

Right there we touched on the primary defining characteristic of major depressive disorder ICD 10. It’s not standard clinical depression. The ICD 10 variant of depression indicates when the person has recurring depression. Meaning they experience debilitating depression before experiencing relief from it and not having symptoms of depression. However, they then have the depression return and severe depression symptoms along with it.

This pattern repeats, the depression comes and goes but it is severe enough with each episode that it is problematic.

Major Depressive Disorder Recurrent ICD 10

One of the unfortunate realities is that major recurrent depression is considered to be one of the more severe and difficult types of depression to treat. People with ongoing and more mild depression will be well served by prescription antidepressants like Cymbalta and Prozac, among many other effective depression medications.

The issue for those dealing with major depressive disorder ICD 10 is that they may be hesitant to either take or continue with these medications during the times when they are not experiencing depression symptoms. At this point, it should be said that only your physician can be trusted to make a diagnosis of depression or recommend medication.

If you or someone else seems to have depression then a visit to your physician’s office is a must. No one should be making a self-diagnosis of depression. It’s important to be aware that treating the condition must be done through qualified medical professionals only.

Symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder ICD 10

The symptoms of major depressive disorder ICD 10 are much the same as you would find with unipolar depression. These can include:

  • Unrealistic anxiety
  • Despair
  • Hopelessness
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Irritability
  • Incessant crying
  • Inability to be attentive or concentrate
  • Inability to make decisions
  • Diminishing interest in life pursuits
  • In extreme cases, thoughts of suicide

The main difference in the symptoms of recurrent depression and other types is periods of normal moods interrupting depressive episodes.

Depressive symptoms may resolve on their own. The person may feel and behave normally for days, weeks, or even longer before showing signs of another episode of depression.

Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder ICD 10

Some people will prefer to look into natural treatments for depression, and we won’t try to discourage you from doing so. However, in the case of major depressive disorder ICD 10 and the fact it is recurrent depression it is fairly common for there to be a need for a pharmaceutical course of treatment. Other treatment options will include:

  • Psychotherapy
  • Electro-convulsive therapy (shock therapy)
  • CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy)

It is again important to remember that only a physician can determine the diagnosis and treatment of depression. Also, that electro-convulsive therapy is typically only used for recurrent depression when all other treatment methods have not generated positive therapeutic results.

Studies have shown that most people who see significant improvements with their experiences with major depressive disorder ICD 10 as recurrent depression involve a combination of cognitive therapy and medications until they reach a plateau stage. At this stage, the individual’s doctor may decide to discontinue the psychotherapy and place the patient on a maintenance dose of antidepressants to prevent a relapse.


IMPORTANT NOTE: The above information is intended to increase awareness of health information and does not suggest treatment or diagnosis. This information is not a substitute for individual medical attention and should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. See your health care professional for medical advice and treatment.


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