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Medicine vocabulary · Diseases by System

Depression

Meaning in medicine, with examples

/dɪˈpreʃən/nounCore term

In medicine, depression means: A mental health condition with persistent low mood or loss of interest and pleasure, lasting at least two weeks and affecting daily life.

In Turkish: depresyon

How it is used

Doctors ask about mood, sleep, appetite, energy, concentration and thoughts of self-harm, often using questionnaires such as the PHQ-9. It is graded as mild, moderate or severe. In everyday English 'depressed' can simply mean sad, so doctors check what the patient means.

Example sentences

  1. Since losing his job, he has had symptoms of depression for over two months.

  2. Postnatal depression affects many new mothers and responds well to treatment.

Common collocations

  • clinical depression
  • postnatal depression
  • screen for depression
  • symptoms of depression
  • severe depression
  • screeningTesting people who have no symptoms in order to find a disease or risk early, when treatment is more likely to help.
  • social historyThe part of the history about the patient's life outside illness: home, work, smoking, alcohol, drug use, daily activities and support.
  • open questionA question that cannot be answered with a simple yes or no and invites the patient to explain in their own words.
  • referralThe act of sending a patient to another doctor, specialist team or service for an opinion, tests or treatment; also the letter or request that does this.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Diseases by System

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.