[Existential youth depressions]

To determine the clinical and psychopathological features of existential depression in youth.

53 male patients (16-25 years old) with diagnosis F31.3, F31.4, F32, F33 with existential themes of depressive experiences were studied by clinical and psychopathological method.

The axial symptom of existential was over-value ideas about the meaninglessness of their own and human life with ideas of self-abasement, insolvency, low value, imperfection of society, which in most of the studied cases (79.2%) was accompanied by various degrees of severity suicidal thoughts and intentions. Three varieties were identified: with the prevalence of reflections on the meaninglessness of life (39.6%); with the prevalence of neurotic religiosity (28.3%); with an existential philosophical interpretation (32.1%).

As a result of the study, the heterogeneity of existential depressions, a significant role of psychogenic factors in their formation were revealed, as a high suicidal risk. Existential depressive states differed in duration, severity of depressive symptoms, high frequency of non-suicidal self-neglect and suicidal risk.