Read the passage below and answer the questions
Sudhir is a 15-year-old boy, who has recently begun to experience persistent sadness and loss of interest in activities he once enjoyed. He is often found to be irritated without any specific reasons. Despite parental and school support, he feels worthless and thinks his future is doomed. His academic performance and social life has been severely affected. It has been found that his maternal uncle had also experienced such problems when he was young. However, timely identification and psychological aid helped in improving his condition. Psychologists have emphasized that these patterns are not merely emotional reactions and may indicate a mood disorder that is characterized by a disturbed emotional state which may include prolonged periods of sadness and thoughts of self-harm and suicide in serious cases.
Sudhir’s symptoms indicate towards which of the following disorders?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Major depressive disorder
Option (1) Generalized anxiety disorder — Incorrect. It consists of prolonged, vague, unexplained and intense fears not attached to any object, with worry, hypervigilance and motor tension. Sudhir’s complaint is sadness and loss of interest, not fear and worry.
Option (2) Major depressive disorder — Correct. It is defined as a period of depressed mood and/or loss of interest or pleasure in most activities, with other symptoms such as thoughts of death and feelings of worthlessness. Sudhir has persistent sadness, has lost interest in what he once enjoyed and feels worthless.
Option (3) Paranoid disorder — Incorrect. A paranoid disorder is marked by persistent suspicion and the false belief that others mean harm. Sudhir shows no suspicion of others.
Option (4) Agoraphobia — Incorrect. Agoraphobia is a fear of entering unfamiliar situations, so that many people with it are afraid of leaving home. Sudhir’s problem is low mood, not fear.
Note: The disorder in Option (3), ‘paranoid disorder’, is not in NCERT (2025-26); explained here for the benefit of the students.
NCERT (2025-26): “Anxiety Disorders … They include generalised anxiety disorder, which consists of prolonged, vague, unexplained and intense fears that are not attached to any particular object. The symptoms include worry and apprehensive feelings about the future; hypervigilance, which involves constantly scanning the environment for dangers. It is marked by motor tension, as a result of which the person is unable to relax, is restless, and visibly shaky and tense.…” “…Agoraphobia is the term used when people develop a fear of entering unfamiliar situations. Many people with agoraphobia are afraid of leaving their home.…” “Depressive Disorders … One of the most widely prevalent and recognised of all mental disorders is depression. Depression covers a variety of negative moods and behavioural changes. Depression can refer to a symptom or a disorder. In day-to-day life, we often use the term depression to refer to normal feelings after a significant loss, such as the break-up of a relationship, or the failure to attain a significant goal. Major depressive disorder is defined as a period of depressed mood and/or loss of interest or pleasure in most activities, together with other symptoms which may include change in body weight, constant sleep problems, tiredness, inability to think clearly, agitation, greatly slowed behaviour, and thoughts of death and suicide. Other symptoms include excessive guilt or feelings of worthlessness.…” |