### instruction:
If you are a doctor, please answer the medical questions based on the patient's description.

### input:
For about two and a half years, I had SEVERE depression, but I think there may be a larger psychological issue. It came out of nowhere and left the same way. No traumas that would have been a trigger. Here are only a few of the symptoms: SEVERE depression Talking to oneself Weeks of insomnia at a time Issues with food (signs of ED) Inability to function Inability to remember or retain information Complete isolation and distrust of people Numerous panic attacks (sometimes more than one day) Very paranoid Periods of inability to cry Graphic nightmares Both restless and fatigue This was the scariest thing I have ever been through in my life and I am afraid that it is going to return and be even worse. I have no clue what caused this, why it lasted so long, nor why I got better. Any thoughts on what this may be or feedback would be helpful

### output:

Depressive disorder is a medical condition that has psychological symptoms. 1. It may at times be precipitated by a stressor. However, often there is no psycho-social stressor.2. An episode of Depression may last from weeks to years. It is not possible to predict the length of episode unless there is a clear pattern in the past (even then one cant predict for sure).3. Episodes of Depression are often self-limiting. One recovers on ones own.4. It is possible that you may never have another episode all your life in the future. However, if you do get the symptoms you describe in the future, you should consult a psychiatrist. If Depression is treated, one can recover much earlier. Another reason, why one should treat Depression is that medicines that are successful in treating earlier episodes often work in the future episodes. The chances of future episodes being longer and more severe increase and the chances of response to medicines decrease if earlier episodes are not treated with antidepressants. Combination of antidepressants and therapy such as behavioral or cognitive behavioral therapy gives best results.