Types of depression

On this page we describe the kinds of depression as well as their signs and symptoms. We can help you find assistance if you or somebody close to you believe they could have depression.

About the types of depression

There are different types of depression that have certain signs and symptoms. Postnatal depression shows up around childbirth, while seasonal affective disorder appears throughout wintertime.

Some are spoken about more often than others. You could have come across depression and bipolar. Types such as cyclothymic disorder and dysthymic disorder aren’t pointed out as typically.

Sometimes we use different names for the same kind of depression Professional depression is also called significant depressive disorder.

Significant depression.

Also called: depression, depression, unipolar depression.

Major depression is when you feel sad, down or unpleasant most of the moment. You may additionally dislike things you generally enjoy.

Kinds of significant depression consist of melancholia, antenatal and also psychotic or postnatal. You may be identified with mild, modest or extreme depression.

Your psychological health specialist may identify you with depression if these symptoms:

• happen most days
• last for at least two weeks
• influence on lots of areas of your life, including job and also social connections.

Melancholia

Melancholia is severe depression which commonly has physical symptoms. You could:

• move much more slowly
• really feel depressing, down or miserable
• be totally incapable to take pleasure in anything.

Psychotic depression

Occasionally depression can consist of losing touch with truth or experiencing psychosis.

Signs and symptoms of psychotic depression can include hallucinations, delusions and paranoia.

Hallucinations

You could see or listen to points that aren’t there.

Misconceptions

A delusion is a false belief that isn’t shared by others. As an example, you might think that you’re:

• evil or negative
• being seen or followed.

Fear

If you feel paranoid you could:

• feel like everybody is against you
• believe that individuals have actually made you ill or created bad points to happen.

Antenatal and also postnatal depression

Your danger of establishing depression is higher while pregnant and also in the first year after giving birth. During pregnancy around 10 percent of women experience depression. In the first 3 months after having an infant this boosts to 16 per cent.

Depression which establishes during pregnancy as well as after childbirth has a couple of different names:

• prenatal or antenatal depression– depression while pregnant
• postnatal depression – depression in the year after giving birth
• perinatal depression– whenever while pregnant or in the year after childbirth.

The child blues

Around 80 per cent of females obtain the ‘baby blues’ in the very first couple of days after childbirth. You may feel overloaded or in tears, yet this will come on a couple of days with treatment and assistance.

Because of modifications in your hormonal agents after your child is birthed and also does not mean you’ll develop depression, the infant blues occurs.

Dysthymic disorder

Dysthymia is long-term depression which lasts a minimum of 2 years. It has similar symptoms to major depression, yet they’re much less serious.

Bipolar affective disorder

Bipolar disorder is when you experience durations of depression as well as periods of mania, with durations of normal mood in between. It influences around 2 per cent of Australians and also can be difficult to identify.

Mania

Feeling manic is the reverse of feeling depressed. Within of mania you may:

• really feel fantastic
• have great deals of power (as well as not sleep much).
• have competing ideas and also talk rapidly.
• discover it difficult to concentrate on jobs.
• really feel distressed as well as irritable.

Some people with bipolar can shed touch with fact as well as have an episode of psychosis during a duration of mania. Psychosis can entail hallucinations, deceptions and also paranoia.

Identifying bipolar illness.

Diagnosis depends on you having had episodes of mania along with episodes of depression. Bipolar can be hard to detect due to the fact that individuals usually only seek support when they’re having an episode of depression.

Inform your health specialist when you look for assistance if you’re experiencing durations of high state of mind as well as periods of low state of mind.

Occasionally it can take years to obtain a medical diagnosis of bipolar affective disorder. Bipolar affective disorder can be misdiagnosed as drug, alcohol or depression abuse, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or schizophrenia.

Causes of bipolar disorder.

Bipolar illness appears to be most very closely connected to family history. Stress and conflict can cause periods of depression or mania.

Cyclothymic disorder.

Cyclothymic disorder resembles bipolar illness but less extreme. It’s a lasting condition lasting for at least 2 years.

If you have cyclothymia your periods of mania as well as depression are milder and also shorter. In between these durations you might really feel ‘regular’ for up to 2 months.

Seasonal depression (SAD).

Depressing is a state of mind disorder that has a seasonal pattern. One of the most common sort of SAD is when you really feel depressed in the wintertime and far better in the lighter and also warmer months.

When you really feel clinically depressed and have SAD you’re more probable to:.

• experience an absence of power.
• sleep way too much.
• eat way too much and get weight.
• crave for carbohydrates.

Unfortunate is thought to be related to the variation in light direct exposure in various periods. It’s generally detected after you’ve had the very same signs and symptoms throughout wintertime for a couple of years.

Depressing is really unusual in Australia. It’s more probable to affect people in nations with much shorter days and also longer periods of darkness.

Do I have depression?

It can be tough to recognize whether you’re really feeling clinically depressed or have depression.

Our anonymous mental health check-in can assist you comprehend whether your symptoms are likely to vanish on their own, or whether it’s time to obtain even more assistance to aid you really feel much better.

It’s an evidence-based tool which asks you 10 questions concerning the sensations you’ve been having over the past 4 weeks. It’s in some cases called the “K10” as well as is widely used by GPs as well as mental health professionals.

Strick reminder from Brain Health USA to seek a doctor’s advice in addition to using this app and before making any medical decisions.

Read our previous blog post here: https://dev.brainhealthusa.com/is-it-really-adhd/.

Resource:

• American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition: DSM-5, American Psychiatric Publishing, 2013.
• National Institute of Mental Health: “What is Depression?” “What is Bipolar Disorder?” and “Brain Stimulation Therapies.”
• National Alliance on Mental Illness: “Depression: Treatment, Services, and Support.”
• Cleveland Clinic: “Seasonal Depression.”
• University of Michigan Depression Center: “Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD).”
• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: “Efficacy and Safety of Screening for Postpartum Depression.”
• American Academy of Family Physicians. “Depression: How Electroconvulsive Therapy Works.”