I was originally diagnosed and treated for a Major Depressive Disorder, Eating Disorder, and uncontrolable bouts of anger. This diagnoses and treatment occurred in late 2000. I understand that the eating disorder and anger are part of the depression. This occurred while I was in the armed forces. I was discharged in 2001. Prior to discharge I was attending appointments with a psychiatrist and taking remeron. After discharge I no longer had appointments with a psychiatrist and no longer took medication. I continued to have highs and lows but, in my opinion, no other major depressive episodes. This was until late 2007, when I had another major depressive episode. Now I take Cymbalta 60 mg. daily and my family doctor believes that this will be a long term / lifelong condition. Really I have a couple of questions.
1) I do not feel that my treatment was complete, in the service, because when they discharged me they stopped the meetings with the psychiatrist and stopped my access to the medication. If the treatment was not complete would this increase the likely hood of recurrence?
2) Some of the research that I have done shows that once a person has their first episode there is a 60% chance of a second. Once they have a second episode there is a 70% chance and the percentage increase with every episode. Is this information correct?
3) Are Major Depressive Episodes the disorder itself or are they characteristics of a larger disorder like Major Depressive Disorder or Bipolar?
4) My major depressive episodes were seperated by many years. I understand that episodes vary between individuals and can be seperated by many years. Are both episodes part of the originial disorder I was diagnosed with?
