Types of Depression
There several types of depression. Learn these types of depression and distinguish them from normal sadness.
Sadness, loneliness, grief, feeling of disadvantage, loss, despair, helplessness, sorrow, rage and indifference are a part of all our lives at some point. When people experience these normal feelings of unhappiness, it is not depression but part of the ups and downs we all experience. After days or weeks, most of the people are able to recover from such state of mind. However, when the symptoms of depression last for months, it may be clinical depression as distinguished from normal sadness. Depression in the field of psychology is referred to as mental illness in which a person experiences deep, unshakable sadness, lack of energy and diminished interest in nearly all activities. Some may also have a loss of appetite and weight or a weight gain.
The term “I’m Depressed” is often used to describe the feeling of temporary sadness, loneliness, or blues, but people suffering from clinical depression have difficulty in concentrating and making decisions and even in moderate cases, clinical depression is debilitating and can lead to suicidal thoughts. Most psychologists believed that depression results from an interaction between stressful life events and a person’s biological and psychological vulnerabilities.
If you suspect that you have depression of any kind, then you should seek help.
Major Depression
People with major depression need to seek help because major depression can dramatically impair their ability to function in social situations and at work. These people often have feelings of despair, extreme sadness, hopelessness, and worthlessness, as well as thoughts of committing suicide.
Dysthymia
People who have this depressive condition, have low self-esteem and concentrate poorly most of the time often over a period of years. However, their symptoms are milder than in major depression. These people are simply sad, blue or melancholic and usually unaware that they have this type of depression and have learned to live with it every day. Some people with dysthymia experience occasional episodes of major depression.
Postpartum Depression
Some women experience an episode of Postpartum depression (PPD) or post-natal depression (PND) after having a baby. Depressive symptoms usually begin within four weeks of giving birth and can vary in intensity and duration. It is sometimes assumed that postpartum depression is caused by a lack of vitamins. Some studies also show that the main cause of this type of depression is the significant changes in a woman’s hormones during pregnancy. Symptoms include sadness, fatigue, changes in sleeping and eating patterns, reduced libido, crying episodes, anxiety, and irritability.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
SAD is a condition in which people experience episodes of depression that typically begin each fall (Autumn) or winter and lift in the spring due to fewer hours of daylight. Research shows that depression more frequently affects people living in low-light conditions (eg people living in the extreme north). Increased exposure to light often helps people with seasonal affective disorder, but not those with other forms of depression.
Psychotic Mental Depression (PMD)
Psychotic depression occurs when a severe depressive illness patient has a co-existing form of psychosis. People with this type of depression may experience psychotic symptoms, such as delusions or false beliefs and hallucinations or false sensory perceptions. They usually have longer hospital stays, and after leaving, they are more likely to be moody and unhappy. They are also more likely to attempt suicide.
Bipolar Disorder
This type of depression is where a person’s mood swings back and forth between depression and mania. Bipolar disorder is also called manic-depressive illness. When manic, people with bipolar disorder feel intensely elated, self-important, energetic, and irritable. When depressed, they experience painful sadness, negative thinking and indifference to things that used to bring them happiness. Ancestry seems to have a strong influence on whether the person will develop bipolar disorder. Personal or work-related stress can trigger a manic episode, but this usually occurs in people with a genetic vulnerability. Other factors which are factors in other forms of depression such as prenatal development, childhood experiences and social conditions seem to have relatively little influence in triggering bipolar disorder.
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)
This type of depression is the severe form of premenstrual syndrome or PMS. Women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder often feel insecure, anxious, irritable, angry, and other symptoms occurring predominantly during the 2 weeks preceding menstration. These symptoms are similar to PMS, the difference being that PMDD is so severe that it interferes with a woman’s social and occupational function. PMDD disrupts the woman’s life and interferes with the usual activities and relationships with others.
Situational Depression
This symptom of this type of depression develops in response to a specific stressful situation or event. Psychologists agree that stressful experiences can trigger depression in people who are predisposed to the illness. For example, the death of a loved one may trigger depression. Psychologists usually distinguish true depression from grief, a normal process of mourning a loved one who has died.
If you suspect that you have depression of any kind, then you should seek help.