Psychotic Depression - Signs and Symptoms

Psychotic depression is estimated to affect one in every 250 people. People with this condition normally experience delusions which are beliefs or feelings that are not real. Bipolar patients may experience this condition during depressed states. Episodes of this disorder normally last for a defined amount of time. Sometimes however, they can be chronic.

This condition is considered a severe form of major depression. Patients with mild or moderate depression may also exhibit psychotic symptoms. Paranoid delusions and delusions of guilt are the most common symptoms of this illness. Some of the patients who experience delusional guilt believe that they are being punished for past misdeeds.

A person with psychotic depression will also have delusions that include those in which he or she is concerned that something is terribly wrong with his or her body. The person will claim that something is wrong with his or her physical health. People with this condition normally experience more delusions than hallucinations. While some people with this illness don't experience hallucinations, others do. Other symptoms of this disorder are agitation and difficulties in falling asleep.

This condition is sometimes mistaken for schizophrenia. It is also sometimes mistaken for schizo affective disorder. Schizophrenia normally has more delusional symptoms. Other symptoms that characterize schizophrenia are loose associations, flight of ideas and echolalia which is repeating what others say. Word salad or meaningless speech is another symptom of this condition. Psychotic depression is mostly treated using antidepressants and anti psychotics. Researchers are also trying to develop a new treatment that will directly deal with the pathophysiology of the condition.

Mercy Maranga Reports on Health and Fitness issues. Visit Her Site here for more information on Depression and its treatment. Depression