The four types of depression are situational, biological, psychological and existential, each of which has its own primary causes. These classifications often overlap and are intended to add information to diagnosis and treatment. There are many different types of depression. Events in your life cause some and chemical changes in your brain cause others.
Your doctor may diagnose major depression if you have five or more of these symptoms most days for 2 weeks or more. At least one of the symptoms should be a depressed mood or loss of interest in activities. If you have depression that lasts 2 years or more, it's called persistent depressive disorder. This term is used to describe two conditions formerly known as dysthymia (persistent low-grade depression) and chronic major depression.
A person with bipolar disorder, which is also sometimes called manic depression, has mood episodes that range from high-energy extremes with a high mood to low depressive periods. When you're in the low phase, you'll have symptoms of major depression. Traditional antidepressants are not always recommended as first-line treatments for bipolar depression because there is no evidence that these drugs are more useful than a placebo (a sugar pill) for treating depression in people with bipolar disorder. In addition, for a small percentage of people with bipolar disorder, some traditional antidepressants may increase the risk of causing a high phase of the disease or speed up the frequency of having more episodes over time.
Seasonal affective disorder is a period of major depression that occurs most often during the winter months, when days get shorter and you get less and less sunlight. It usually disappears in spring and summer. A combination of antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs can treat psychotic depression. ECT can also be an option.
Women who have major depression in the weeks and months after childbirth may have peripartum depression. About 1 in 10 men also experience depression in the peripartum period. Antidepressant medications may help in a similar way to treating major depression that is not related to childbirth. Depression affects people from all corners of the world.
In the United States alone, 7% of adults experience depression each year, and about 1 in 6 will have depression at some point in their lives. However, there are numerous types of depression that can affect people in different ways. This is a long-term depression, as the name implies. Also known as dysthymia.
This is a depressed mood that lasts at least two years for adults and one year for children and adolescents. It is characterized by less severe symptoms than other types of depression, and may briefly disappear over a period of 1 or 2 years, and still be classified as persistent depressive disorder. Many people suffer from major depression along with persistent depressive disorder. Because it is so long-lasting and the symptoms are not as severe, many people interpret this depression as part of their personality.
This is especially likely in children or people who experience the onset of the disorder after trauma or loss. However, postpartum depression is much more serious and less common. Women suffering from postpartum depression have complete major depression after the birth of the baby. They have feelings of terrible sadness, extreme anxiety, and overwhelming exhaustion that make it difficult for them not only to care for their babies, but also for themselves.
Postpartum depression can last up to a year after the baby is born and sometimes requires hospitalization. May affect up to one in seven women who give birth. Psychotic depression occurs when a person experiences severe depression and psychotic hallucinations or delusions. They may have false beliefs that you can't argue about, or they may see things that don't exist.
These symptoms include withdrawing from social activities, getting more sleep, and gaining weight. There may be some association between seasonal affective disorder and a tendency to show atypical depression symptoms. Home Education Depression Types of depression, major depressive disorder and persistent depressive disorder are two of the most common types of depression people experience, however, there are many types of depression. Most mood disorders have major depressive episodes in common.
This is also true for bipolar disorder, another type of mood disorder. Persistent depressive disorder (formerly dysthymia) is a chronic, ongoing state of low-level depression. The depressive state of persistent depressive disorder is not as severe as that of major depression, but it can be just as disabling. Postpartum depression is characterized by feelings of sadness, indifference, exhaustion and anxiety that a woman may experience after the birth of her baby.
It affects one in 9 women who have had a child and can affect any woman, regardless of age, race or economic status. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) usually begins in late fall and early winter and dissipates during spring and summer. Summer-related depressive episodes can occur, but are much less common than winter episodes of SAD. Not only is depression difficult to endure, it is also a risk factor for heart disease and dementia.
Depressive symptoms can occur in adults for many reasons. If you experience cognitive or mood changes that last more than a few weeks, it's a good idea to contact your doctor or see a mental health specialist to help determine possible causes, says Dr. Nancy Donovan, Psychiatry Instructor at Harvard Medical School. The classic type of depression, major depression, is a state in which a dark mood consumes everything and you lose interest in activities, even those that are usually pleasurable.
Symptoms of this type of depression include difficulty sleeping, changes in appetite or weight, loss of energy, and feeling worthless. Thoughts of death or suicide may occur. It is usually treated with psychotherapy and medication. For some people with severe depression that is not relieved by psychotherapy or antidepressant medications, electroconvulsive therapy may be effective.
Formerly called dysthymia, this type of depression refers to low mood that has lasted at least two years but may not reach the intensity of major depression. Many people with this type of depression can function day by day, but they feel depressed or joyless most of the time. Other depressive symptoms may include changes in appetite and sleep, lack of energy, low self-esteem or hopelessness. .
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