Common features of psychological disorders By: Peter Sokol

 Major depressive disorder can be diagnosed when an individual experiences two weeks of either a depressed mood or a loss of interest and happiness.  The diagnosis requires the presence at least four additional symptoms, such as appetite disturbances, loss of energy, feeling of worthlessness etc. Affective disorder

 Affects around 15% of people at some time in their life  Two to three times more likely to occur in women than men  Occurs frequently among members of lower social- economic groups  Occurs most frequently among young adults Prevalence rate of Major Depressive Disorder

 Bulimia is characterized by frequent episodes of binge eating followed by inappropriate behaviors such as self-induced vomiting to avoid weight gain.  In order for a diagnosis of bulimia nervosa to be made, the binge eating and compensatory behaviors must occur, on average at least twice a week for three months. Eating disorder: Bulimia

 More than 5 million of individuals in the US alone are believed to experience an eating disorder.  It typically occurs in the late teens and early twenties  The life time prevalence of bulimia in woman living in Tehran, Iran has been reported to be 3.2% Prevalence of bulimia nervosa