TABLE 1.
Comparison of major depressive disorder and other chronic, progressive illnessesa
| Characteristic | Diabetes | Cardiovascular diseases | Schizo-phrenia | Bipolar disorder | Major depressive disorder |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Presence of prodromal symptoms | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Months to years of symptoms progression before diagnosis | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Predictive risks factors are identified and can inform treatment | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Delayed detection and lack of treatment-induced tissue damage or illness progression | Yes (multiple organs) | Yes (multiple organs) | Yes (brain) | Yes (brain, heart) | Yes (brain, heart) |
| Illness captured through specific laboratory workup or imaging | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Probably |
| Laboratory tests available to aid diagnosis | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Stigma most likely delays detection and makes treatment more difficult | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Possibility of treatment resistance | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Early detection and treatment prevent tissue deterioration and treatment resistance | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Effective treatments reverse tissue deterioration among patients with chronic and severe illnesses | Probably | Probably | Probably | Probably (inflammatory processes) | Probably (inflammatory processes) |
| Extended maintenance treatments available to sustain wellness | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pharmacotherapy or continuation psychotherapy or other interventional treatments are widely recognized as essential to maintain wellness and regularly maintained | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Adherence problem when maintenance treatment prescribed | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
a
Adapted from Table 6–1 in Greden (4). Reprinted with permission from American Psychiatric Association Publishing.