Are You Suffering from One of These Types of Depression?

People who suffer from depression can vary in how severe their particular case is. One major problem with depression is that it is very easy to miss the signals and leave it untreated.

Are you depressed?

The key to getting help with your problem is education. Once you better understand your problem you will know what you need to do to cope and improve.

Depression is a disorder of moods, marked by feeling hopeless, helpless, and worthless. You may find yourself either sleeping too much or not enough. You may also be experiencing mood swings.

You can be extremely buoyant one week and heavily depressed the next. These are just a few of the symptoms that may indicate depression.

Types of depression:

Unipolar depression:

The most major type and is marked by the common symptoms of depression. Unipolar depression lasts approximately six months and is considered to be a clinical depression. Treatment is prescribed for the length of the illness.

Bipolar depressive disorder:

This form of depression is also known as manic depressive disorder, with feelings swinging wildly between highs and lows.

Bipolar depression is chronic and treatment lasts a lifetime. Many famous people have been diagnosed with this type of depression, and it has not kept them from enjoying a normal life with proper medication and management. Symptoms of manic depression include:

Grandiose and inflated sense of self-esteem and feelings of invincibility. A reduced need for sleep. Extremely talkative and very rapid speech. Racing thoughts, and increased physical activity, can't be still, and heightened need to set goals and take action. Impulsive, thrill seeking with reckless sexuality. Overspending, or irrational schemes with no regard to consequences

Dysthymia:

This depression is a more mild version that will last for two years or longer. Throughout its course, there can be more major episodes of depression.

Atypical Depression: Is most often seen in women and is characterized by eating too much, sleeping for long periods, panic attacks, and very sensitive emotionally.

Psychotic Depression: Is a severe type of depression. The person may hear voices and see visions that are not real. There are also periods of delusional thoughts.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Is a cyclical depression related to the changing seasons, usually occurring in the winter. It is thought to be connected to the reduction of light during this time of the year. The person diagnosed with this type of depression does not have these symptoms during other times of the year.

Common symptoms of depression include:

- Easily agitated.

- Change in appetite, resulting in weight gain or loss.

- Difficulty concentrating.

- Flat affect - No facial expressions.

- Excessive tiredness.

- Feelings of hopelessness, loss of self worth and helplessness.

- Feelings of self-hate and misplaced guilt.

- Withdrawal from life's daily activities that were previously enjoyed.

- Obsession with death or consideration of suicide.

- Insomnia.

- Sleeping too much.

- Loss of sex drive.

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms of depression or think you may be depressed, contact your doctor immediately for consultation and testing for depression.

If you are diagnosed as being depressed, please know that there is help waiting. With proper medication and therapy you can be on the road to healing and enjoy life again.


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Jared Wright is the marketing manager of Clivir.com - the free learning community site. You can learn more about depression issues such as depression counseling clinics and manic depression tests by clicking the links.