Anniversary reactions masquerading as manic-depressive illness

The authors suggest that many patients diagnosed as having manic-depressive illness, depressed type, may in fact be experiencing anniversary reactions--time-specific psychological and physiological reactions to a past trauma. They report three cases of cyclic depressive disorder, two of which were first diagnosed as manic-depressive illness, depressed type. Careful, complete interviewing and attention to temporal sequence led to the correct diagnosis of anniversary reaction.