Depressive Mood Disorders

Depression, which doctors call major depressive disorder, disrupts your life. These symptoms last two or more weeks. They include:

Feeling sad, grouchy, or tense most of the time
Less interest or pleasure in usual activities or hobbies
Low energy, feeling tired, even when you’re not active
Appetite change with a weight gain or loss
A change in sleeping habits (trouble sleeping, waking early, or sleeping too much)
Feeling restless or slowed down
Trouble making decisions or concentrating
Feeling worthless, hopeless, or guilty
Thoughts of suicide or death

If you have one or more of these symptoms, talk with your doctor.

If you are thinking of suicide, please contact your doctor, or go to your local hospital or emergency room as soon as possible.

There are other illnesses that have depression symptoms. They include dysthymia, seasonal affective disorder, postpartum depression, and bipolar disorder.

Dysthymia

People who have dysthymia may feel mildly depressed on most days for at least two years. They have many depression symptoms, but the symptoms are less severe than with major depressive disorder.

Seasonal affective disorder

Seasonal affective disorder has the same symptoms as major depressive disorder. But, in seasonal affective disorder, the symptoms return during certain seasons, usually in the fall and winter.

Postpartum depression

Postpartum depression can occur in women who recently have given birth. It usually happens in the first months after delivery. But it also can happen in the first year after giving birth. The symptoms are the same as major depressive disorder. Often, postpartum depression keeps the mother from bonding with her newborn.

It is very important to seek help, if you have postpartum depression. Postpartum depression is different from the “baby blues,” which tends to occur during the first few days after delivery and then gets better on its own.

Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder is a complex mood disorder. The word bipolar refers to the disorder’s two extremes, mania and depression. The treatments for bipolar disorder are usually different from treatments for major depressive disorder. Visit the 1on1health Bipolar Disorder program for more information.

Also of Interest

Create your personal depression treatment plan (PDF Format) with your doctor.

Listen to two patients describe how their depression symptoms affected their lives.

take the questionnaire ~ you are not alone
bipolar disorder ~ depressive mood disorder
tell a friend

HealthyPlace.com Depression Center Links
home ~ site map ~ causes ~ types ~ people ~ living with
treatments ~ self-help ~ support ~ suicide ~ related issues

HealthyPlace.com Homepage
Chat ~ Forums ~ Communities
HealthyPlace.com Films ~ HealthyPlace.com Radio ~ News
Site Map ~ Web Tour ~ Advertise ~ Email Us
send this page to a friend

We subscribe to the HONcode principles of the Health On the Net Foundation.