In order to diagnose a patient with PMD [Phsychotic Major Depression], clinicians use criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).
Patients who show at least six of the following symptoms in a period of two weeks may be diagnosed with PMD. In order to qualify for a PMD diagnosis, patients need to report either (1) or (2), and (10), along with three or four other symptoms (for a total of six). These symptoms also must be different from how patients felt or behaved at a previous time.
[1] depressed mood most of the day nearly every day
[2] loss of interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day nearly every day
[3] significant weight loss or weight gain, OR decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day
[4] insomnia OR hypersomnia (sleeping excessively) nearly everyday
[5] psychomotor agitation(moving more quickly) OR retardation(moving more slowly) nearly every day, so much that other people notice
[6] fatigue OR loss of energy nearly every day
[7] feelings of worthlessness OR excessive or inappropriate guilt (which may be delusional) nearly every day (not merely self-reproach or guilt about being sick)
[8] diminished ability to think or concentrate, OR indecisiveness, nearly every day
recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying), recurrent ideas about suicide [9] without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or specific plan for committing suicide
[10] delusions or hallucinations