Depression – Important Differential Diagnoses

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1. Bipolar Disorder – always ask patients if they have had a manic or hypomanic episode

2. Borderline Personality Disorder – duration of low mood is not sustained and mood instability is prominent.  Both depression and Borderline personality disorder may co-exist.

3. Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood  – Mild features of depression in context of identifiable stressor, eg grief

4. Anxiety – Very common co-morbidity in depression

5. Drug Induced Mood Disorder

Alcohol-Induced Mood Disorder is common

Cannabis is associated with  “amotivational syndrome”

6. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

OCD can lead to secondary depression

Depression can exacerbate OCD

7. Organic

e.g. Hypothyroidism, Multiple Sclerosis, Vit B 12 deficiency, Addison’s disease, medications etc.

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