MASKED DEPRESSION - FROM SOMATIC MASKS TO BEHAVIORAL MASKS CONCEALINGMOOD DISORDERS

The concept of masked depression was introduced fairly recently and ha s seen substantial theoretical and practical developments over the las t few years. However, there is no clear consensus as to its meaning an d many still harbor the misconception that sadness is a consistent fea ture of depression. In many depressed patients, depressive symptoms ar e either overshadowed by other symptoms or undetectable, and somatic c omplaints are at the forefront of the clinical picture. The aim of thi s article is to describe the concepts of depressive equivalent and beh avioral mask for depression, which have important practical and therap eutic implications.