Melancholia: The Diagnosis, Pathophysiology and Treatment of Depressive Illness

This book provides a comprehensive review of melancholia as a severe disorder of mood, associated with suicide, psychosis and catatonia. The syndrome is defined with a clear diagnosis, prognosis and range of management strategies, differentiated from other similar psychiatric, neurological and general medical conditions. It challenges accepted doctrines in the classification and biology of the mood disorders and defines melancholia as a treatable mental illness. Described for millennia in medical texts and used as a term in literature and poetry, melancholia was included within early versions of the major diagnostic classificatory systems, but lost favor in later editions. This book updates the arguments for the diagnosis, describes its characteristics in detail and promotes treatment and prevention. The book offers great hope to those with a disorder too often mis-diagnosed and often fatal. It should be read by all those responsible for the management of patients with mood disorders.

• Defines melancholia as a recognisable syndrome affecting a large number of depressed patients • Describes the disorder in terms of signs, symptoms and characteristics • Details strategies for treatment and prevention • Supplemented throughout with illustrative case vignettes

List of patient vignettes; Acknowledgements; Preface; 1. Melancholia: a conceptual history; 2. Melancholia defined; 3. Defining melancholia by psychopathology; 4. Defining melancholia: laboratory tests; 5. Examination for melancholia; 6. The differential diagnosis of melancholia; 7. Suicide in melancholia; 8. Electroconvulsive therapy for melancholia; 9. Achieving effective ECT; 10. The validity of the pharmacotherapy literature in melancholia; 11. Basic pharmacotherapy for melancholic patients; 12. Pharmacotherapy of melancholia: complicating circumstances.

\'It is an exceptionally well researched and heavily referenced (50 pages) book and provides a sound source for further reading. … They give clear clinical advice on the management of melancholia and helping those that suffer from it. …If you are already a convert to the melancholia idea then this book will reinforce your view.\' Psychological Medicine

\'… I recommend the book without reservation.\' Psychiatric Services