Depressive Disorders

Depressive disorders affect a large percentage of the global population at some point in the lifespan. These disorders include major depressive disorder, dysthymia, medication-induced depression, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and disruptive mood regulation disorder. This chapter discusses the scope and classification of depressive disorders, etiological and risk factors, common comorbidities, and physical therapy approaches to each aspect of patient management specific to patients with a depressive disorder. Notably, depression leads to a higher risk of sedentary-related conditions such as cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, metabolic syndrome, and cognitive impairment. Thus, patients with depression are at high risk of functional decline and benefit from a multipronged, interprofessional treatment approach.