Risky behaviour may signal depression

The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) classifies the depressive disorders into disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, MDD, persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia), premenstrual dysphoric disorder, depressive disorder due to another medical condition. The common features of all the depressive disorders are sadness, emptiness, or irritable mood, accompanied by somatic and cognitive changes that significantly affect the individual’s capacity to function. Because of false perceptions, nearly 60% of people with depression do not seek medical help – the majority being male.

In 2016, 6 476 South Africans committed suicides, which translates into a rate of 12.8 per 100 000 compared to the mean global rate of 10.5 per 100 000 [Image: Raxpixel.com].