[Depression].

Abstract

Feeling down is notalways a symptom of depressive disorder. Mostly the feeling is understandable in the light of the circumstances. The first approach should be a good conversation about what is happening, about the patient's aims and possibilities: the person-centered approach. However, when the patient has recurrent depressive episodes, has severe limitations in functioning or periods of mania, then the disease-centered approach is necessary, resulting in diagnosing depressive disorder (or bipolar disorder) and treating the patient according to the guidelines. In primary care, systematic screening of suicidality in depressed patients is not effective; case-finding is the preferred strategy.