Meet the Depression Family.
Types of depression
The more you know about your enemy, the easier it is to fight it. Unfortunately many doctors know very little about depression and its subgroups so it can be helpful to do a bit of research yourself and discuss your findings with your doctor. Which heading do you feel you come under?
This is not an exhaustive list. These are just the types of straight forward depression. There are also psychosis related illnesses, personality disorders(horrid term, I know!) and all kinds of phobias. maybe when I get up to scratch with a better website I'll make some sort of directory.
Major DepressionThe overarching feature of major depression is abnormality – being different from your normal, healthy self. Symptoms last at least 2 weeks.
Mood Symptoms
abnormal depressed mood - hopeless, discouraged, and empty
abnormal loss of interest and pleasure mood - crippling lack of motivation and reduced capacity to experience pleasure
abnormal irritable mood - often alienates loved ones
Physical Symptoms
abnormal appetite – reduced or increased
abnormal sleep - either difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings during the night or very early morning awakening and excessive sleeping during the day. Or a mixture of all of them.
fatigue or loss of energy - profound, prominent and disabling
agitation or slowing - either physical slowing of speech, movement and thinking(being a bit dazed) or jumpiness and restlessness
Cognitive Symptoms
abnormal self-reproach or inappropriate guilt - marked lowering of self-esteem and self-confidence with increased thoughts of pessimism, hopelessness, and helplessness or feelings of excessive and unreasonable guilt
abnormal poor concentration or indecisiveness - becoming quickly mentally fatigued when asked to read, study, or solve complicated problems
abnormal morbid thoughts of death (not just fear of dying) or suicide - hopelessness
Atypical DepressionThe symptoms of atypical depression include overeating, oversleeping, a general feeling of sadness, strong feelings of rejection, and laeden paralysis (a sensation of heaviness especially in the arms). The ingestion of carbohydrates cause an increase in serotonin in the brain so the preference for overeating carbohydrates reflects a type of self-medication for these sufferers. An atypical depressive may be able to enjoy pleasurable circumstances despite being unable to seek out such circumstances. This contrasts with the "typical" depressive, who generally has reduced appetite and insomnia, and who is often unable to find pleasure in anything. Patients with atypical depression are more apt to have shorter but more frequent episodes of depression and are also more likely to be passive aggressive and have an obsessive-compulsive personality. Some studies suggest that the MAO inhibitors are more affective drugs in treating this disorder than the SSRIs. Despite its name, atypical depression is the most common subtype of depression.
Dysthymia
Dysthymia shares many symptoms with major depression but is less intense and last at least two years. Sufferers experience low energy, general negativity, and feelings of hopelessness. They do not exhibit marked changes in mood or in daily functioning and suicidal thoughts are not usually present. It can be described as a general sadness that always seems to be with you.
When people with chronic depression also have episodes of major depression from time to time, the condition is known as double depression.
Hysteroid DysphoriaThe hysteroid dysphoria is characterized by repeated episodes of depressed mood in response to feeling rejected, and a craving for sweets and chocolate. All in favour of chocolate on prescription say ‘I’!
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)SAD is described as depression during the autumn and winter. This type of depression lifts in the spring or summer due to getting more sunlight, and may be replaced by a manic phase. Most SAD sufferers experience tiredness, a tendency to overeat, and a tendency to oversleep in winter. A bit like hibernation I suppose.