depressive
/dɪˈprɛsɪv
/adjective
1Causing feelings of severe despondency and dejection.However, persistent severe depressive moods are not part of the ‘normal’ spectrum of behaviour....
- The best punk rock, or whatever, always comes from the most depressive governments.
- Instead I'm indulging in depressive whingeing because I needed the best possible conditions to start tackling a heavier workload and everything seems to have gone pear shaped.
1.1Relating to or tending to suffer from clinical depression: a depressive illness...
- The results are still being analysed but researchers say care home residents are enjoying life more and suffering less depressive illness.
- However, elderly patients are the main group suffering seriously from depressive illnesses.
- Women who do meet the criteria for a clinical depressive episode are referred for standard treatment.
1.2Causing a reduction in strength, effectiveness, or value: steroids have a depressive effect on the immune system...
- Drugs such as the opioid antagonist naloxone and the benzodiazepine antagonist flumazenil may be used to counter the respiratory depressive effects of these drugs.
- Due to a respiratory depressive effect, a benzodiazepine may limit the amount of opioid that can be given; may cause mental status changes.
- The drug appeared to have no observable depressive effect on respiratory rate.
noun
A person suffering from or tending to suffer from depression.Melancholic depressives may also ruminate over the same thoughts and experiences, and feel excessive guilt....
- They agree that those who do not share this identity cannot understand the suffering that depressives experience.
- Phase-advancing sleep may be a useful treatment for depressives who eschew medication.
