Home
Disease Vault Drug Index & Alternatives Drug Interactions Pregnancy Drug Safety Drug Recalls & Alerts OTC Navigator
Medical Bot Med Lab Clinical Cases Nutrition & Macro Calculator
Questo Insights Global Opportunities Paper Helper Citation Generator Scholarships & Travel Visa & Mobility Navigator English Assessment Test
Med Jobs Med Lounge Pharma Swap Pharmacies Directory Medical Case Donations Opportunity Crowdfunding
Courses Academy Quiz Arena Memory Palace STEM Academy Toolkits
About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms of Service
Back to Memory Palace
Psychiatry Mood Disorders Beginner
1,132 views

Major Depressive Disorder Diagnostic Criteria

S
I
G
E
C
A
P
S
DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for a Major Depressive Episode requiring >= 5 symptoms for at least 2 consecutive weeks.

To diagnose Major Depressive Episode under DSM-5, a patient must experience at least 5 of 9 criteria for at least 2 weeks, with at least one core symptom being Depressed Mood or Anhedonia.

Systematic Breakdown

S

Sleep Disturbance

Insomnia (especially terminal early morning awakening) or hypersomnia.

I

Interest Loss (Anhedonia)

Markedly diminished pleasure or interest in all or almost all activities (core symptom).

G

Guilt / Worthlessness

Excessive, inappropriate feelings of guilt or worthlessness out of proportion to reality.

E

Energy Loss / Fatigue

Persistent lethargy, psychomotor exhaustion without physical exertion.

C

Concentration Deficit

Decreased ability to think, focus, or make everyday decisions.

A

Appetite / Weight Changes

Significant weight loss or gain (>5% in a month) or daily appetite fluctuation.

P

Psychomotor Agitation / Retardation

Observable restlessness (pacing, hand wringing) or slowed speech and movements.

S

Suicidal Ideation

Recurrent thoughts of death, passive death wishes, suicidal ideation, plan, or attempt.

High-Yield Clinical Pearls & Exam Tips
  • Must have either Depressed Mood OR Anhedonia among the 5 required symptoms.
  • Symptoms must represent a clear change from previous functioning and cause clinically significant distress or impairment.
  • Must rule out substance-induced mood disorder and hypothyroidism before formal MDD diagnosis.
Related Pharmaceuticals
Sertraline Escitalopram Fluoxetine Bupropion
Related Clinical Conditions
Major Depressive Disorder Persistent Depressive Disorder Hypothyroidism
Authoritative Sources: DSM-5-TR · Kaplan & Sadock's Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry

More Psychiatry Mnemonics

Psychiatry Intermediate
COAT

Wernicke Encephalopathy Triad

C O A T

Classic reversible acute triad of thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency, commonly precipitated by chronic alcoholism.

Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine 21e 554
Psychiatry Advanced
FEVER

Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome Features

F E V E R

Life-threatening idiosyncratic reaction to dopamine D2-receptor antagonist antipsychotics.

Kaplan & Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry 12e 1,119
Psychiatry Intermediate
5 A's OF SCHIZOPHRENIA

Schizophrenia Negative Symptoms: 5 A's

5 A's OF SCHIZOPHRENIA

Core negative symptoms of schizophrenia that are often refractory to traditional first-generation antipsychotics.

DSM-5-TR 924

System Notice

Confirm Action