Question: Are there different types of depression?
As I continued with my research I found that there are actually three different types of depression. The first is called major depression but it also is called clinical or unipolar depression. The second is called dysthymia or minor depression. The third type is called bipolar disorder or manic-depressive illness. Clinical depression can come in different forms. It may start suddenly or build up over a period of weeks,months, or years. The other three types are the most prevalent forms, although for an individual, the number, severity and duration of the symptoms may vary.
Major depression is a serious medical illness that affects about 15 million adults. Unlike normal emotional experiences of sadness, loss, or passing mood states, major depression is persistent and can significantly interfere with an individual’s thoughts, behavior, mood, activity, and physical health. It is also a combiation of symptoms that can interfere with a persons ability to work, sleep, eat and enjoy once pleasurable activities. These episodes can occur once, twice or several times in a lifetime. Among all medical illnesses, major depression is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. and many other developed countries. Depression occurs twice as frequently in women as in men, these reasons are not yet fully understood. Some symptoms of major depression are difficulty thinking, concentrating, and remembering, recurrent thoughts of death or suicide, pronounced changes in sleep, appetite, and energy, persistently sad or irritable mood, and persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain. When several of these symptoms of depressive illness occur at the same time, last longer than two weeks, and interfere with ordinary functioning, professional treatment is needed. Major depression does not have just one single cause because psychological, biological, and environmental factors may all contribute to its development. Whatever the specific causes of depression, scientific research has firmly established that major depression is a biological, medical illness.
The second type of depression is dysthymia(minor depression), which is a less intense type of depression that involves long-term, chronic symptoms that are less sever, but keeps one from functioning at full ability and from feeling good. By the standard psychiatric definition, this disorder lasts for at least two years, but is less disabling than major depression, for example, victims are usually able to go on working and do not need to be hospitalized. About three percent of the population will suffer from dysthymia at some time. Just like major depression, dysthymia occurs twice as often in women as it does in men. It is also more common among the poor and the unmarried. The symptoms of dysthymia usually appear in adolescence or young adulthood but in some cases they do not emerge until middle age. Some symptoms of dysthymia are poor school/work performance, conflicts with family and friends, parents with major depression and shyness. At least three-quarters of people with dysthymia have some other type of psychiatric or medical disorder as well.
The last type of depression is called bipolar depression(manic-depressive illness). People who have bipolar disorder experience both depression and mania. Mania is something that invovles unusually and persistently elevated mood or irritability, elevated self-esteem, and excessive energy, thoughts, and talking. It's different from the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through, the symptoms of bipolar disorder are severe. They can result in damaged relationships, poor job or school performance, and even suicide. The good news is that it can be treated, and people with this illness can lead full and productive lives. About 2.6 percent of the population age 18 and older in any given year have bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder typically develops in late adolescence or early adulthood. However, some people have their first symptoms during childhood, and some develop them later on in life. It is often not recognized as an illness, and people may suffer for years before it is properly diagnosed and treated. Like diabetes or heart disease, bipolar disorder is a long-term illness that must be carefully managed throughout a person’s life. Bipolar disorder causes dramatic mood swings from overly high and irritable to sad and hopeless, and then back again, often with periods of normal moods in between. Severe changes in energy and behavior go along with these changes in mood. The periods of highs and lows are called episodes of mania and depression. Some symptoms of mania are increased energy, activity, and restlessness, spending sprees, racing thoughts and talking very fast, jumping from one idea to another, and increased sexual drive. A manic episode is diagnosed if elevated mood occurs with three or more of the other symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for 1 week or longer. If the mood is irritable, four additional symptoms must be present. Scientists are learning about the possible causes of bipolar disorder through several kinds of studies. Most scientists now agree that there is no single cause for bipolar disorder but rather there are many factors that act together to produce the illness.
Bipolar disorder symptoms reflect a range of moods.
Bipolar disorder symptoms reflect a range of moods(as shown in the graph above).
Life events, such as the death of a loved one, a major loss or change, chronic stress, and alcohol and drug abuse, may trigger episodes of depression. Some illnesses such as heart disease and cancer and some medications may also trigger depressive episodes. It is also important to note that many depressive episodes occur spontaneously and are not triggered by a life crisis, physical illness, or other risks.More than half of those who experience a single episode of depression will continue to have episodes that occur as frequently as once or even twice a year. Without treatment, the frequency of depressive illness as well as the severity of symptoms tends to increase over time. Left untreated, depression can lead to suicide.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------"Clinical Depression." University Health Services Tang Center 21 05 2008
"Major Depression." National Alliance on Mental Illness 09 2006 21 05 2008
"Dysthymia (Minor Depression)." healthy place.com depression community 21 May 2008
"Bipolar Disorder." National Institute of Mental Illness 03 04 2008 27 05 2008
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