Types of Depression - WebMD

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MenuNewsReferenceSlideshowsQuizzesBlogsVideosMedicationsFindaPsychiatristOverview&CausesSymptoms&TypesDiagnosis&TreatmentRecovering&ManagingFindingHelpADHDAnxiety&PanicDisordersBingeEatingDisorderBipolarDisorderCrisisAssistanceMentalHealthPainManagementPillIdentifierPostpartumDepressionStressManagementSubstanceAbuse&AddictionMoreRelatedTopicsDepressionGuideMenuMedicallyReviewedbyJenniferCasarella, MDonJune23,2021InthisArticleMajorDepressionPersistentDepressiveDisorderBipolarDisorderSeasonalAffectiveDisorder(SAD)PsychoticDepressionPeripartum(Postpartum)DepressionPremenstrualDysphoricDisorder(PMDD)'Situational'DepressionAtypicalDepressionTreatmentResistantDepressionIt'snormaltofeeldownonceinawhile,butifyou'resadmostofthetimeanditaffectsyourdailylife,youmayhaveclinicaldepression.It'saconditionyoucantreatwithmedicine,talkingtoatherapist,andchangestoyourlifestyle.Therearemanydifferenttypesofdepression.Eventsinyourlifecausesome,andchemicalchangesinyourbraincauseothers.Whateverthecause,yourfirststepistoletyourdoctorknowhowyou'refeeling.Theymayreferyoutoamentalhealthspecialisttohelpfigureoutthetypeofdepressionyouhave.Thisdiagnosisisimportantindecidingtherighttreatmentforyou.MajorDepressionYoumayhearyourdoctorcallthis"majordepressivedisorder."Youmighthavethistypeifyoufeeldepressedmostofthetimeformostdaysoftheweek.Someothersymptomsyoumighthaveare:LossofinterestorpleasureinyouractivitiesWeightlossorgainTroublegettingtosleeporfeelingsleepyduringthedayFeeling restlessandagitated,orelseverysluggishandsloweddownphysicallyormentallyBeingtiredandwithoutenergyFeelingworthlessorguiltyTroubleconcentratingormakingdecisionsThoughtsofsuicideYourdoctormightdiagnoseyouwithmajordepressionifyouhavefiveormoreofthesesymptomsonmostdaysfor2weeksorlonger.Atleastoneofthesymptomsmustbeadepressedmoodorlossofinterestinactivities.Majordepressionlooksdifferentlyindifferentpeople.Dependingonhowyourdepressionmakesyoufeel,itcouldbe:Anxiousdistress.Youfeeltenseandrestlessmostdays.Youhavetroubleconcentratingbecauseyou’reworriedthatsomethingawfulcouldhappen,andyoufeellikeyoumightlosecontrolofyourself.Melancholy.Youfeelintenselysadandloseinterestintheactivitiesyouusedtoenjoy.Youfeelbadevenwhengoodthingshappen.Youmightalso:FeelparticularlydowninthemorningsLoseweightSleeppoorlyHavesuicidalthoughtsIfyouhavemelancholicdepression,yoursymptomsmightbeworstinthemorningswhenyoufirstwakeup.Considerhavingsomeonehelpyouwithyourfirsttasksoftheday.Makesuretoeatregularlyevenifyoudon’tfeelhungry.Agitated.Youfeeluneasymostofthetime.Youmayalso:TalkalotMovefornoreason,likefidgetingwithyourhandsandpacingaroundtheroomActimpulsivelyTalktherapycanhelp.You'llmeetwithamentalhealthspecialistwhowillhelpyoufindwaystomanageyourdepression.Medicationscalledantidepressantscanalsobeuseful.Whentherapyandmedicationaren'tworking,otheroptionsyourdoctormaysuggestare:Electroconvulsivetherapy(ECT)Transcranialmagneticstimulation(TMS)VagusNerveStimulation(VNS)ECTuseselectricalpulses,TMSusesaspecialkindofmagnet,andVNSusesanimplanteddevice.Allaredesigntostimulatecertainareasof brain activity.Thishelpsthepartsofyour brain thatcontrolyourmoodworkbetter.PersistentDepressiveDisorderIfyouhave depression thatlastsfor2yearsorlonger,it'scalledpersistentdepressivedisorder.Thistermisusedtodescribetwoconditionspreviouslyknownas dysthymia(low-gradepersistentdepression)andchronicmajordepression.Youmayhavesymptomssuchas:Changeinyourappetite(noteatingenoughorovereating)Sleepingtoomuch ortoolittleLackofenergy,or fatigueLowself-esteemTroubleconcentratingormakingdecisionsFeelinghopelessYoumaybetreatedwithpsychotherapy,medication,oracombinationofthetwo.BipolarDisorderSomeonewith bipolardisorder,whichisalsosometimescalled"manicdepression,"hasmoodepisodesthatrangefromextremesofhighenergywithan"up"moodtolow"depressive"periods.Whenyou'reinthelowphase,you'llhavethesymptomsofmajordepression.Medicationcanhelpbringyourmoodswingsundercontrol.Whetheryou'reinahighoralowperiod,yourdoctormaysuggestamoodstabilizer,suchaslithium.TheFDAhasapprovedthreemedicinestotreatthedepressedphase:SeroquelLatudaOlanzapine-fluoxetinecombinationDoctorssometimesprescribeotherdrugs"offlabel"forbipolardepression,suchastheanticonvulsant lamotrigineortheatypicalantipsychoticVraylar.Traditionalantidepressantsarenotalways recommendedasfirst-linetreatmentsforbipolardepressionbecausethere'snoprooffromstudiesthatthesedrugsaremorehelpfulthanaplacebo(asugarpill)in treatingdepression inpeoplewith bipolardisorder. Also,forasmallpercentageofpeoplewithbipolardisorder,sometraditionalantidepressantsmayincreasetheriskofcausinga"high"phaseofillness,orspeedingupthefrequencyofhavingmoreepisodesovertime.Psychotherapycanalsohelpsupportyouandyourfamily.SeasonalAffectiveDisorder(SAD)Seasonalaffectivedisorderisaperiodofmajordepressionthatmostoftenhappensduringthewintermonths,whenthedaysgrowshortandyougetlessandlesssunlight.Ittypicallygoesawayinthespringandsummer.IfyouhaveSAD,antidepressantscanhelp.Socanlighttherapy.You'llneedtositinfrontofaspecialbrightlightboxforabout15-30minuteseachday.PsychoticDepressionPeoplewithpsychoticdepressionhavethesymptomsofmajordepressionalongwith"psychotic"symptoms,suchas:Hallucinations(seeingorhearingthingsthataren'tthere)Delusions(falsebeliefs)Paranoia(wronglybelievingthatothersaretryingtoharmyou)Acombinationofantidepressantandantipsychoticdrugscantreatpsychoticdepression.ECTmayalsobeanoption.Peripartum(Postpartum)DepressionWomenwhohavemajordepressionintheweeksandmonthsafter childbirth mayhaveperipartumdepression.Approximately 1in10menalsoexperiencedepressionintheperipartumperiod. Antidepressantdrugscanhelpsimilarlytotreatingmajordepressionthatisunrelatedtochildbirth. PremenstrualDysphoricDisorder(PMDD)WomenwithPMDDhavedepressionandothersymptomsatthestartoftheirperiod.Besidesfeelingdepressed,youmayalsohave:MoodswingsIrritabilityAnxietyTroubleconcentratingFatigueChangeinappetiteorsleephabitsFeelingsofbeingoverwhelmedAntidepressantmedicationorsometimesoralcontraceptivescantreatPMDD.'Situational'DepressionThisisn'tatechnicalterminpsychiatry.Butyoucanhaveadepressedmoodwhenyou'rehavingtroublemanagingastressfuleventinyourlife,suchasadeathinyourfamily,adivorce,orlosingyourjob.Yourdoctormaycallthis"stressresponsesyndrome."Psychotherapycanoftenhelpyougetthroughaperiodofdepressionthat'srelatedtoastressfulsituation.AtypicalDepressionThistypeisdifferentfromthepersistentsadnessoftypicaldepression.Itisconsideredtobea"specifier"thatdescribesapatternofdepressivesymptoms. Ifyouhave atypicaldepression,apositiveeventcantemporarilyimproveyourmood.Othersymptomsofatypicaldepressioninclude:IncreasedappetiteSleepingmorethanusualFeelingofheavinessinyourarmsandlegsOversensitivetocriticismAntidepressantscanhelp.YourdoctormaysuggestatypecalledanSSRI(selectiveserotoninreuptakeinhibitor)asthefirst-linetreatment.TheymayalsosometimesrecommendanoldertypeofantidepressantcalledanMAOI(monoamineoxidaseinhibitor),whichisaclassofantidepressantsthathasbeenwell-studiedintreatingatypicaldepression.TreatmentResistantDepressionAbout1/3ofpeopletreatedfordepressiontryseveraltreatmentmethodswithoutsuccess.Ifthat’syou,youmighthavetreatmentresistantdepression.Therearemanyreasons yourdepressionmightbetreatmentresistant.Forexample,youmighthaveotherconditionsthatmakeyourdepressiondifficulttotreat.Ifyou’rediagnosedwithtreatmentresistantdepression,yourdoctormightrecommendsomelessconventionaltreatmentoptions.Electroconvulsivetherapy(ECT)issometimeshelpfulinthissituation.NextArticleMajorDepressionDepressionGuideOverview&CausesSymptoms&TypesDiagnosis&TreatmentRecovering&ManagingFindingHelpMoodDisorders:HowtoRecognizeandTreatThemDealingWithAntidepressantSideEffectsMSandDepression:HowAreTheyLinked?WhatHappensinDepressionTreatment?8FoodsThatHelpFightDepressionCausesofDepressionSurprisingSignsofDepressionSlideshow:PhysicalSymptomsofDepressionChronicDepression(Dysthymia)DoubleDepression:Definition,Symptoms,Treatment,andMoreCausesandSymptomsofDepressionTheSneakySymptomsofDepressionDysthymiaTopicsWhatIsDepression?Differencesbetweenfeelingdepressedandfeelingblue.CelebritiesWithDepressionFamouspeoplewho'vestruggledwithpersistentsadness.DepressionMyths&FactsLearnthetruthaboutthisseriousillness.IsYourAntidepressantWorking?Tipstostaythetreatmentcourse.HealthCheckDepressed?AssessYourSymptomsSlideshowFamousFacesWithDepressionArticleMyths&FactsAboutAntidepressantsArticleIsMyTeenDepressed?Article10WarningSignsofSuicideArticleHowDepressionAffectsWomenArticleGuidetoDepressionMedsArticleNaturalDepressionTreatmentsDepression:SignsYourMedicationIsn’tWorkingCelebritiesWithDepression8FoodsThatFightDepressionDetectingDepression:SymptomsPhysicalSignsofDepressionEffectsofUntreatedDepressionHealthSolutionsPenisCurvedWhenErect?CouldIhaveCAD?TreatBentFingersTreatHR+,HER2-MBCTiredofDandruff?BenefitsofCBDRethinkMSTreatmentAFib-RelatedStrokesRiskofaFutureDVT/PEIsMyPenisNormal?RelapsingMSOptionsLiverTransplantsSaveLivesFinancePlasticSurgeryBentFingerCausesLivingWithPsoriasis?MissingTeeth?MorefromWebMD5TipstoHelpWithRelapsingMSHowtoThriveWithNarcolepsyReliefforBlockedHairFolliclesPsoriaticArthritisandYourSleepWhatPsoriasisFeelsLikeFirstPsoriaticArthritisFlareTalkingtoYourDoctorAboutRACrohn's:A'Full-Body'DiseaseAvoidingCrohn’sFlaresHealthBenefitsofHempSeedOilLiveBetterWithPsoriaticDiseaseTypesofB-CellTherapyforMS5HealthBenefitsofHempWhyProstateCancerSpreadsLivingwithAdvancedBreastCancerWhereBreastCancerSpreads