Types of Depression

Apocalypse Suicide Page
Good Mood
Living with Depression
Mental Health Recovery
NIMH
SHOCKED! ECT

HealthyPlace.com Radio
Depression Support Groups

Books on Depression
Conference Transcripts
Depression Videos
Diaries - Journals
Disorders Definitions
Mental Health News
Online Depression Tests
Psychiatric Medications
Resources
Site Map

Email
ICQ
Instant Messenger

Visit and Post

Abuse
ADD/ADHD
Addictions
Anxiety-Panic
Bipolar
Eating Disorders
Personality Disorders
Self-Injury

send this page to a friend

Depression strikes in several forms. When a psychiatrist makes a diagnosis of a patient's depressive illness, he or she may use a number of terms--such as bipolar, clinical, endogenous, major, melancholic, seasonal affective or unipolar--to describe it. These labels confuse many people who don't understand that they can overlap. People with depressive illness may also receive more than one diagnosis since the illness is often linked with other problems, such as alcoholism or other substance abuses, eating disorders, or anxiety disorders.

Major Depression

When you hear the term clinical depression, it merely means the depression is severe enough to require treatment. When a person is badly depressed during a single severe period, he or she can be said to have had an episode of clinical depression. More severe symptoms mark the period as an episode of major depression (also known as unipolar depression and major depressive disorder). Many mental health experts say the key to judging this gradation lies in the amount of change a person undergoes in his or her normal patterns along with a loss of interest and a lack of pleasure in them. An almost-daily tennis player, for instance, who began to break her court dates frequently, or a regular bridge player who lost interest in weekly games, might be edging into an episode of major depression. The more severe the depression, the more it is likely to affect its sufferer's life.

diagnosis of major depressive disorder

Dysthymia

While many people have single or infrequent episodes of severe depression, some suffer with recurrent or long-lasting depression. For these people, who almost always seem to have symptoms of a mild form of the illness, the diagnosis is dysthymia or minor depression. A major depressive episode can hit the dysthymic person, too, causing double depression, a condition that demands careful treatment and close follow-up.

diagnosis of dysthymia

Bipolar Depression

In bipolar depression (also known as bipolar disorder, manic-depression, and manic-depressive illness), the lows alternate with terrible highs in an often bewildering oscillation. Scientists now believe this up-and-down mood rollercoaster is the product of an imbalance in the brain chemistry which can be treated successfully about 80 percent of the time with balance-restoring medications.

diagnosis of bipolar disorder

Atypical Depression

This type of depression is very common in women. The feeling of depression will get better for a period and then worsen again. The symptoms of oversleeping, overeating, hypersensitivity to rejection (especially romantic rejection), and intermittent panic attacks, are characteristic of atypical depression. This type of depression usually begins in adolescence and, if untreated, will often continue throughout life.

diagnosis of atypical depression

Psychotic Depression

advertisement

Approximately 15 percent of people who suffer from major depression also show symptoms of psychotic depression. These symptoms include hearing voices inside one’s head (auditory hallucinations), having visions of people or things that are not actually there (visual hallucinations), and delusional thinking. People who suffer from this extreme form of major depression are in need of immediate attention. Because they cannot rationally judge the consequences of their actions, they are in serious danger of killing themselves.

diagnosis of psychotic depression

Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression (PPD) is thought to be a form of major depression. This is due to the similarity of symptoms in the two conditions. About 10 percent of new mothers develop postpartum depression. It is most common in women who have already experienced some form of depressive illness. Most women suffer from a down feeling the first few days after giving birth. However, those with postpartum depression experience symptoms that are more prolonged, severe, and disabling. If not treated, postpartum depression can last for months or years.

diagnosis of postpartum depression

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder

This condition is experienced by approximately four percent of menstruating women. Different from premenstrual syndrome (PMS), women who suffer from premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)have more severe symptoms of deep depression or irritability for a week or two prior to or during menstruation.

diagnosis of premenstrual dysphoric disorder

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a subtype of depression. Research suggests that SAD arises from some people's sensitivity to seasonal changes in the amount of available daylight.

People sometimes react emotionally to changes in the amount of daylight available. For example, with less sunlight in the winter, some individuals become depressed, sad and irritable. They want to sleep a lot and eat constantly. When spring arrives with more daylight hours, their mood enhances; they feel better and start getting their energy back.

diagnosis of seasonal affective disorder