Depression

There are a few depression types that may differ in symptoms and signs, treatments, medications and prognosis. It is essential to have a proper and professional mental evaluation of the patient in order to distinguish which of the different depression types he/she really suffers from and in order to provide them the best treatment.

The common depression types:

Major Depressive Disorder

Also known as severe depression or clinical depression, Major Depressive Disorder is the most severe of all depression types. The symptoms include sadness, feelings of guilt and worthlessness, constant sleeping, severe fatigue, lack of desire to do anything or enjoy anything, lose of appetite or over eating followed by changes in weight. Symptoms can also be behavioral: Patients can isolate themselves from society, feel angry and suffer anxiety attacks.

Cognitive aspect can also be impaired since some patients lose their memory and concentration and find it difficult to think. The most serious symptom of clinical depression is having suicidal thoughts. In this case clinical depression can end in a tragic way, and that is why seeking help for a person with symptoms of severe depression can actually save his life. Of all depression types, the sufferers of a major depression are more exposed to often recurrences than the other depression types’ patients. 

Dysthymic Disorder

Another one of the common depression types is dysthymic disorder. People who are diagnosed with this disorder usually suffer a less severe disorder, but a chronic one. It might not prevent the sufferers from leading a rather normal life, like in other depression types, but it is certainly causes a lot or discomfort and stress. The common symptoms are constant sadness but yet milder, low self-esteem, low energy and lack of enjoyment. Dysthymia can last intermittently for 2 years or more.

Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder is another one of depression types. Just as the name suggests this type of depression besides the “common polar” of being sad and melancholy also consists of another polar where patients can present a euphoric behavior to the point where they lose sense of reality, spending a lot of money shopping or gambling. Bipolar disorder is also characterized by changes from one polar to the opposite one in just a short time. Of all depression types bipolar is the easiest one to diagnose since it has specific symptoms and signs.

Cyclothymic disorder

Cyclothymic disorder is another one of depression types. This disorder is another type of bipolar disorder, yet it considered to be less severe. In this type of depression both polars manifest in a less severe way but the switch between the two different polars may occur every several days or weeks and sometimes even several hours in severe cases.  A person that is diagnosed with a cyclothymic disorder will never be symptom-free for more than two months.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

SAD is another one of the common depression types .This type of depression does not differ from other depression types in symptoms but in timing. Patients with this kind of depression live their lives regularly all year long, besides a certain season. When that season, typically winter, arrives they begin show different symptoms of depression, while the rest of the year is symptoms free.

Of all depression types this type is the easiest to diagnose.

Postpartum Depression
Postpartum Depression is another one of the depression types. Of all the other types postpartum is the most infrequent. This rare type of depression can, of course, only manifest in women, after giving birth to a new baby. Those mothers suffer symptoms of severe depression that can manifest anytime after delivery, sometimes even months after. Postpartum depression symptoms are the same as other depression types symptoms, But without a proper diagnosis and a proper treatment, this depression type can also be dangerous for both the mother and the baby, since symptoms also include lack of desire or ability to take care of the baby or lack of motherly feelings towards the baby and even resentment and hate towards him. Without help, some of postpartum depression patients can harm themselves as well as the baby.