reactive depression

depression /de·pres·sion/ (de-presh´un)

1. a hollow or depressed area; downward or inward displacement.

2. a lowering or decrease of functional activity.

3. a mental state of altered mood characterized by feelings of sadness, despair, and discouragement.depres´sive

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agitated depression  major depressive disorder accompanied by more or less constant activity.

anaclitic depression  impairment of an infant's physical, social, and intellectual development resulting from absence of mothering.

congenital chondrosternal depression  congenital deformity with a deep, funnel-shaped depression in the anterior chest wall.

endogenous depression  a type caused by an intrinsic biological or somatic process rather than an environmental influence, in contrast to a reactive depression.

major depression  major depressive disorder.

neurotic depression  one that is not a psychotic depression (q.v.); used sometimes broadly to indicate any depression without psychotic features and sometimes more narrowly to denote only milder forms of depression.

pacchionian depressions  small pits on the internal cranium on either side of the groove for the superior sagittal sinus, occupied by the arachnoid granulations.

psychotic depression  strictly, major depressive disorder with psychotic features, such as hallucinations, delusions, mutism, or stupor; often used more broadly to cover all severe depressions causing gross impairment of social or occupational functioning.

reactive depression , situational depression a usually transient depression that is precipitated by a stressful life event or other environmental factor; cf. endogenous d.

unipolar depression  that unaccompanied by episodes of mania or hypomania, as in major depressive disorder or dysthymic disorder; the term is sometimes used to denote the former specifically.

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re·ac·tive depression (r-ktv)

n.

Depression precipitated by something intensely sad or distressing.

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reactive depression,

an emotional condition, which varies in intensity and duration, characterized by an acute feeling of despondency, sadness, and depressive dysphoria. The condition is caused by some identifiable external situation or environmental stress and is generally relieved when the circumstance is altered or the conflict understood and resolved. The term is no longer in use. Also called situational depression. See also depression.

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reactive depression

Exogenous depression Psychiatry A situational depression triggered by a recent stressful external life event–eg, loss of a loved one, which is of greater duration than is regarded as normal. See Depression. Cf Endogenous depression.