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Depression Oxford Concise Medical Dictionary, 4th edition, by the Oxford University Press: "A mental state characterized by excessive sadness. Activity can be agitated or slow and retarded. Behaviour is governed by pessimistic or despairing beliefs, and sleep, appetite and concentration are disturbed."
Bipolar Disorder Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV),
4th edition, by the American Psychiatric Association: Below is a definition of what DSM-IV calls "Bipolar II Disorder": "A. Presence (or history) of one or more
Major Depressive Episodes .... B. Presence (or history) of at least one Hypomanic Episode .... ..... "
Schizophrenia Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), 4th edition, by the American Psychiatric Association: "A. Characteristic symptoms: Two (or more) of the following, each present for a significant portion of time during a 1-month period (or less if successfully treated):(1) delusions (2) hallucinations (3) disorganized speech (e.g., frequent derailment or incoherence) (4) grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior (5) negative symptoms, i.e. affective flattening {1},
alogia {2}, or avolition {3} B. Social/ occupational dysfunction: For a significant portion of the time since the onset of the disturbance, one or more major areas of functioning such as work, interpersonal relations, or self-care are markedly below the level achieved prior to the onset .... ....... "
Fred Frese (a person who was diagnosed as having paranoid schizophrenia and later became chief psychologist in a large Canadian hospital): “Symptoms include an inability to separate fantasy from reality and the hearing of inner voices.” - Montreal Gazette, September 23, 2002, Final Edition
Schizoaffective Disorder Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), 4th edition, by the American Psychiatric Association: " A. An uninterrupted period of illness during which, at some time, there is either a Major Depressive Episode, a Manic Episode, or a Mixed Episode concurrent with symptoms that meet Criterion A. for Schizophrenia...... B. During the same period of illness, there have been delusions or hallucinations for at least 2 weeks in the absence of prominent mood symptoms. C. Symptoms that meet criteria for a mood episode are present for a substantial portion of the total duration of the active and residual periods of the illness. ...... "
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