Phenomenology of Depressive Disorders with and without Psychotic Features: A Comparative Study

Background: Depressive disorders can present with psychotic features, which warrants a different diagnosis and a different phenomenological study. Aim: To study the phenomenology of depressive disorders with and without psychotic features. Methodology: One hundred and forty-eight patients presenting to psychiatry outpatient department of a tertiary care center were screened using Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview questionnaire to select patients for our study. Sociodemographic data and some clinical variables of these patients were collected. These patients were further assessed for depression severity and psychotic symptoms by using Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and Modified Psychotic Symptoms Ratings Scale (PSYRATS), respectively. Results: Mean MADRS score for patients with depression without psychotic features was 38.38 and for patients with depression with psychotic features was 44.51. Result was found to be significant. Suicidality was found to be on a higher side in patients of depression with psychotic features. Conclusion: Main finding related to our study was that depression severity was found to be more in patients of depression with psychotic features. There are certain phenomenological differences which warrant a separate diagnosis of depression with psychotic features. These include the increased intensity of suicidality, visible sadness, inner stress, difficulty in concentration, lassitude, altered ability to feel, and thoughts of suicide present in patients of depression with psychotic features.