M shows some signs of major depressive disorder. Mrs. M has been experiencing intense sadness without any real cause which is causing her to feel overwhelmed and perplexed. The most recent incidence was when a dish fell on the floor and broke which led her to sit on the floor, hit the floor with her fist, and cry. She stopped crying when she became startled at the fact that her hand was bleeding from pounding the broken glass. She then went into her car to go to work, when she began to cry again for no reason. She eventually called in sick to work. Mrs. Ms intense sadness, the above being one example, is a symptom of major depressive disorder. Mrs. M has also been experiencing melancholic features such as a loss of interest in activities that are usually pleasurable. She has withdrawn herself from activities with her children, leaving the job to her husband. She has also withdrawn from her social contacts at work, no longer eating with her colleagues, but being alone as often as she can. Her usual close to infallible work performance has decreased having several mistakes. Mrs. Ms lack of motivation and companionship are also signs of major depressive disorder. Mrs. M has also been under some stress at work within the past week. Her boss has become fairly demanding and short with her. In addition, Mrs. M has picked up several new responsibilities from a former paralegal. All of these stressors could have triggered the depression. To further investigate my hypothesis, I questioned Mrs. M on her physical well being during the past four to six weeks. Mrs. M said that she has lost ten to fifteen pounds and seems to be tired all the time. She was confused as to why she was always tired because she was getting a lot more sleep than usual. Mrs. M may be suffering from hypersomnia, which is also a symptom of major depression. I was very curious about the comment made about wanting to run away or get away from it all. When ...
