The
DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) classifies as a
depressed person those who show at least five of the following symptoms:
depressed mood (sadness), markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or
almost all, activities, significant weight loss without any diet, or
significant weight gain, or decrease or increase in appetite, insomnia or
hypersomnia, psychomotor agitation or retardation, fatigue or loss of energy,
feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate feelings of guilt,
decreased ability to think or concentrate, or difficulty in decision making,
recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent suicidal ideation and/or a suicide
attempt or the preparation of a specific plan for committing suicide.
The Vital Needs Theory - page 24