What is subclinical depression?

Let's look at the characteristics of subclinical depression and why it should be detected as soon as possible.

According to the WHO, depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Many people experience a decline in mood in the form of chronic sadness and associated behavioral, cognitive and emotional problems that prevent them from leading a full life.

The DSM-5 establishes very clearly what the diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder are, indicating that the patient must present a minimum of five of the nine symptoms specified in this manual for depression.

But... What happens to those who have symptoms but do not meet this minimum? These people would fall under the idea of subclinical depressiona problem without as many symptoms as major depression but equally disabling and discomfort-generating. Let's go deeper into this health problem.

Subclinical depression: what is it?

Depression is a psychological problem with different symptoms. Among the most characteristic we find mood decline, reduced ability to experience pleasure and decreased self-esteem, all accompanied with affective, cognitive and behavioral manifestations accordingly.

According to the WHO (World Health Organization), depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Its milder variant, subclinical depression, also has important repercussions on the quality of life of those affected..

The term "subclinical" refers to the fact that the person is manifesting symptoms similar to those of the disorder, but not enough of them to meet the diagnosis of the particular syndrome, disorder or disease. Applied to mood disorders, subclinical depression is a condition in which some symptoms of depression are present, but not enough for a diagnosis to be made. People with subclinical depression may experience brief, recurrent episodes of depressive symptomatology..

Subclinical depression is a condition that has important implications for the functioning and well-being of those who experience it. Although this condition is milder than in cases of major depression, it is known that people with subclinical depression have a significant deterioration of life and show worse work, academic and social performance. In addition, they are at risk of progressing to major depressive disorder and becoming addicted.

There are no uniform criteria for defining subclinical depression.. In fact, there is no unequivocal terminology regarding this condition, and in the expert literature we find all kinds of names for what we call here subclinical depression, such as subsyndromal depression, minor depression and nonspecific depressive symptoms. Despite this disparity in naming, in most cases subclinical depression is considered to be that in which the patient presents at least two symptoms characteristic of major depressive disorder.

In the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), subclinical depression is classified under the category "other specific depressive disorder" and "depressive episode with insufficient symptoms".

Symptoms of this condition

The symptoms of subclinical depression coincide with those of major depressive disorder, the main difference between the two health conditions is that in subclinical depression there are fewer or milder symptoms..

• Depressed mood most of the day
• Significant decrease in interest or pleasure in almost any activity
• Significant Weight loss or weight gain
• Insomnia or hypersomnia (oversleeping) on most days
• Agitation or psychomotor retardation almost every day
• Fatigue or loss of energy
• Feelings of worthlessness
• Concentration problems
• Recurrent thoughts of death and suicidal ideation

To receive the diagnosis of major depressive disorder, it is necessary that at least five of the symptoms mentioned above are present, and that the patient indicates that they have been present during the last two weeks.and that the patient indicates having presented them during the last two weeks. In the case of subclinical depression, these symptoms are reduced to a minimum of two and a maximum of four.

Early detection is key to successful treatment.. In cases of subclinical depression, treatment is aimed at ensuring that symptoms do not worsen and degenerate into a case of major depressive disorder. For very slight that they are, the symptoms in the subclinical depression do not stop being that, symptoms, which can become very incapacitating.

Causes of subclinical depression

Depression is a very complex mental conditionwhich can be influenced by several different factors. Some risk factors can increase the probability that the person experiences symptoms of depression, among which we find genetics, family history, history of abuse and trauma, consumption of some drugs, significant life changes, stress, medical illness and substance abuse.

Subclinical depression is still depression, only milder, with fewer symptoms. Thus, the causes behind suffering from this minor depression would be the same as for major depression, only that they would not have acted with such force or else the person would have some kind of protective factor that would have prevented him or her from developing the severe disorder..

Nevertheless, it is worth insisting on the idea that presenting mild symptoms of depression is in itself a risk factor for presenting major depression later on.

Diagnosis

As we said, subclinical depression is a case of depression that does not meet sufficient criteria to be diagnosed as such. Many people present depressive symptoms but, since they do not occur in sufficient numbers, they would not be diagnosed as major depressive disorder..

Several studies suggest that subclinical depression can have as much impact on a person's functioning as major depression. Subclinical depression can have the same negative effects on the patient's overall health as major depression, only less intensely.. In this sense, some experts and researchers on this issue consider depression to be more of a spectrum, a continuum from less to more depressive symptoms.