characterization

char·ac·ter·i·za·tion

(kar'ak-ter-i-zā'shŭn),

The discernment, description, or attribution of distinguishing traits.

Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

characterization

Vox populi The delineation of a thing's features. See Activated characterization, Risk characterization, Secondary sex characterization.

McGraw-Hill Concise Dictionary of Modern Medicine. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Patient discussion about characterization

Q. What kind of depression is characterized by waves? It's not a constant depression, like if you can be happy but then you feel the depression creeping up on you, like a wave, lasts for a few to several days/weeks? Is there even a name for it?

A. Depression doesn't have to be a constant 24/7 nightmare. You can smile and laugh all day but by the evening be miserable. Its still depression. There are however different labels with depression. There is acute depression (lasting less than two weeks) there is Major Depression (lasting more than two weeks) and there is chronic (lasting a LONG time). People all have different levels of severity and different expressions of it. Some people stop eating and can't leave their bed, others have a smile on there face and seem fine at work, all while they are being torn apart on the inside. As far as diagnosis and treatment goes: if depression is disturbing your life, if you have been experiencing symptoms including loss of interest everyday (not necessarily ALL day) for more than two weeks, you are depressed and deserve treatment.

(Bipolar is actually a very different thing and treated very differently than depression.)

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