Guidelines for the Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders - Essay Example

The boy's previous functioning changed significantly. The DSM-IV criteria stipulate that for a patient to be diagnosed with MDE they must experience at least 5 of the following symptoms Schouten, R., & Silver, J. (2013).

• Anhedonia and loss of interest
• Change in eating, appetite, or weight
• Sleep disruption (insomnia)
• Fatigue
• Hampered motor activity
• Depressed mood
• Loss of concentration and/or attention
• Self-blame
• Suicidal thoughts

Evidently, the boy’s symptoms do not indicate a mixed episode but rather a single major depressive episode. The boy’s symptoms are a cause of difficulty in functioning or great distress.  Additionally, the symptoms are not due to direct psychological effects of a general medical condition such as hypothyroidism or intake of substances such as drugs (Guay, 2012). Since the symptoms persist for more than two months after the death of his dad, bereavement cannot account for the boys’ symptoms. Major Depressive Disorder is severe with atypical features.

Screen the patient using the 'two quick question' screening technique.

• Have you felt sad, depressed, low, down, or despair? (Guay, 2012).
• Have you lost interest/ pleasure in things you usually like to do?

A “yes” to any of the aforementioned questions calls for a meticulous assessment.