Mild depressive illness

Abstract

The symptomatology of mild depressive illness which is commonly encountered in the medical practice is discussed. The more important symptoms are fatigue, anorexia and weight loss, insomnia, depressed mood, loss of interests and sexual desire, feeling of unworthiness, and death wishes. The diagnosis of this mild form of depression may be difficult, but it is not impossible to detect an early depression. An awareness of the possibility of this illness, particularly in patients over 30 yr, makes the task easier. The prognosis is good. It responds well to antidepressant drugs, and the patients usually recover from the attack without residual impairment of mental integrity.