[Guest]

Dear doc,
I had an episode of depression some five years ago. It waxed and waned for a year and half. Now I have read that episodes of depression can come in an isolated episodes or their may be clusters episodes. I am trying to figure out what sort of an episode it was to be able to have a better understanding, which may help me in future in case of relapse. I don't know what clusters of episodes means. Please give me some information about it. Was the kind of waxing and waning episode like that.

[Guest]

My opinion may differ from some of what you read. It is based on the work of Kraeplin who studied depression before the use of medication. An episode typically lasted for about eighteen months, so I would say you had one episode. I think we may be creating the "clusters" by the use of medications. This is a minority opinion, but you asked.
[quote] Dear doc,
I had an episode of depression some five years ago. It waxed and waned for a year and half... [/quote]