Types of Depression
Millions of people worldwide suffer from various types of depression. According to statistics, this is the most common psychological disorder of modern times. It also receives the most attention due to the large number of celebrities who admit to suffer or have suffered from depression.
Although the symptoms differ slightly, there are some variations between the depression forms which allows for specialized diagnosis and targeted treatment.
Major depression or clinical depression is characterized by hopelessness first and foremost. The sufferer feels like all the problems in the world are on his/her shoulders, and the pessimistic view on life skyrockets. People diagnosed with major depression have difficulties carrying on with normal activities, they experience decreased libido, lack of appetite and weight loss.
Atypical depression differs from major depression by the fact that the sufferer experiences moments of elation and happiness. Other symptoms include weight gain, oversleeping, overeating and fatigue. It’s common for atypically depressed people to believe that the outside happenings in their lives are responsible for their mood. It’s a form of denial that often prevents the sufferer from following the right treatment.
Manic depression is recognized by the rapidly changing mood shifts and obsession (mania) for specific persons in their lives, objects or events. Hallucinations may appear but they are generally positive in nature. The deterioration of mental health is rapid, as the patient passes very quickly from depression to mania. From all types of depression, this variation has the highest suicide rate among patients.
Psychotic depression is diagnosed when the person begins to see imaginary things or hear voices and sounds. The hallucinatory episodes are usually frightening and highly negative, resembling the common symptoms of schizophrenia.
Other types of depression?
There are all sorts of contextual health problems that may be referred to as types of depression or depression sub-categories. The classifications vary, yet, the diagnosis is the one that matters most. Thus, we can mention postpartum depression which affects some women after giving birth. This is also known as baby blues and it is triggered by the very rapid and baffling hormonal changes that affect the female body after delivery.
Melancholic depression, agitated depression, seasonal affective depression, anxiety depression or double depression complete the list of psychological problems in the category of depression. While in most cases the therapeutic approach involves the administration of oral medication (antidepressants), psychological counseling and complementary therapies may be successfully used to alleviate symptoms and give one control over personal life.
Treating depression
Only a clinician can diagnose depression. Self-diagnosis may have dramatic consequences and therefore is highly unrecommended. Some people prefer to talk to several specialists before starting a treatment in order to make sure that the approach is correct, complex and particularly targeted for their health problem.
Oral drugs are usually a must for very severe depression cases, and alternative therapies can only become helpful at the point when one regains control over their mental condition and life. You may not like it but medication buys you time to find a holistic therapeutic approach, also giving the patient a chance to live a next-to-normal life.
Regardless of the types of depression, every particular case requires medical attention!