Quite possibly. Many medical conditions create slow, dulled thinking, negative emotions, or other symptoms similar to those of unipolar major depression. However, most of the diseases that cause depressive symptoms (like strokes, heart failure, diabetes, etc.) can be detected by the history, examination, and laboratory tests that you get in a good physical examination from your internist or family doctor. This is why it is a good idea to have a physical examination before beginning depression treatment.

Following is a list of such medical problems that can confuse or complicate the diagnosis and treatment of unipolar major depression.

Alcoholism — Diabetes

Alzheimer’s Disease — Drug Abuse

Anemia (from B-vitamin — Heart Failure

or iron deficiency) — HIV Infection

Asthma — Huntington’s Disease

Cancer — Kidney Disease Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Menopause

Disorder (COPD) — Multiple Sclerosis

Myasthenia Gravis — Stroke

Parkinson’s Disease — Systemic Lupus Erythematosis

Perimenopause — Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Premenstrual Syndrome — Thyroid Disorder

Rheumatoid Arthritis — Viral Hepatitis

Sleep Apnea

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• What is borderline personality disorder?
• What is dysthymia?
• Does depression cause physical problems?
• What’s the difference between major depression and bipolar disorder?
• Are there other conditions that can get confused with unipolar major depression?
• Is there a biological reason for depression?
• How do these negative thoughts affect me?
• It seems like my depression is caused by my negative thoughts is that normal?
• Why do I get depressed without anything stressful happening to me?
• Is unipolar major depression just another term for life stress?
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• What’s the relationship between brain chemicals and depression?
• What part of the brain is responsible for depression?
• How many people are affected by clinical depression?
• What exactly do you mean when you talk about stress?
• Do you have to have the genes for depression in order to get depressed?
• What role does genetics play in depression?
• How does unipolar major depression start?
• Is major depression primarily physical or mental?