Psychotic depression

Psychotic depression
Other names	Depressive psychosis
A drawing that attempts to capture the sadness, loneliness, and detachment from reality, as described by patients with psychotic depression
Specialty	Psychiatry
Symptoms	Hallucinations, delusions, anhedonia[1]
Complications	Self-harm, Suicide
Usual onset	20-40 years old
Duration	Days to weeks, sometimes longer
Diagnostic method	Clinical interview[2]
Differential diagnosis	Schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, dissociative disorders
Treatment	Medication, cognitive behavioral therapy
Medication	Anti-depressants, anti-psychotics

Psychotic depression, also known as depressive psychosis, is a major depressive episode that is accompanied by psychotic symptoms.^[3] It can occur in the context of bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder.^[3] It can be difficult to distinguish from schizoaffective disorder, a diagnosis that requires the presence of psychotic symptoms for at least two weeks without any mood symptoms present.^[3] Unipolar psychotic depression requires that psychotic symptoms occur during severe depressive episodes, although residual psychotic symptoms may also be present in between episodes (e.g., during remission, mild depression, etc.).^{[4][5][6][7][8][9]} Diagnosis using the DSM-5 involves meeting the criteria for a major depressive episode, along with the criteria for "mood-congruent or mood-incongruent psychotic features" specifier.^[10]