Clinical features and classification of symptoms in depression.

The typical depressed patient is described as well as the course of the depression. Recommendations for the physician, treating depressed patients, are given. There are two main groups of depressions--endogenous depression and reactive depression--which are explained. Depression is a syndrome with "seven principal dimensions". The depressive syndrome is always a serious condition, reacting to suicidal behaviour, which is the greatest of psychiatric emergencies.