The different types of depression

I have been dealing with depression off and on since I was a teenager. In fact the whole reason I started Heal Yourself Talk Radio was to share my stories of depression because I was receiving so many emails from the articles I did write about depression.

My most recent serious bout of depression was when my husband fell very ill and almost died. While he was in the army he had been sick for over 2 years, the doctors kept telling him it was all in his head etc. Well one morning I woke up to find my husband on the floor in our bathroom in a coma…needless to say that is all another story. But he recovered with us finding out that his pancreas had shut down and now he has Type 1 Diabetes.

This whole episode set off in me a major depression that I had a hard time learning to deal with. I ended up having to seek help and be on meds off and on for a few years.

I also suffered from post partum depression with my first son but didn’t suffer from it with my other two sons.

I wanted to share with you the different types of depression that can affect people so that if you notice a change in a family member or friend you are more aware that it may not necessarily be “just the blues”.

You’re down and feeling blue. Someone ate all your chocolate ice cream or moved your cheese or something has simply made you feel bad. Perhaps things are not going well at work with your boss and you’re worried a pink slip is in your near future.

Are you depressed? Maybe. Is it serious? Probably not.
There are different types of depression, according to the AMA. Some can be quite serious and require medication, other’s are fleeting, lasting a few days to a week and are situational in origin.

Here are the some types of depressive disorders recognized by the AMA.

Major Depression.

This depression is recognized by a persistent sadness and some experience the inability to experience any pleasure in their lives. A Major Depression isn’t fleeting—it’s constant and interferes with a person’s life. They might miss work, family gatherings and if severe may not leave home at all. A depressive episode of this magnitude can be treated medically. If it’s not taken care of it may last up to six months or more. If they’re lucky a person could experience a severe depressive episode such as this once in their lifetime. Unfortunately it’s more common for major depression to be a reoccurring disorder.

Atypical Depression.

This is a fairly common subtype of Major Depression. Those who experience this form of depression can feel a short-lived elevation of their mood when confronted with positive things happening in their lives. The elevation in mood, whether it’s being out with friends or getting a piece of good news, is always fleeting. With Atypical Depression you can have weight gain, increase in appetite, and an increased desire to sleep, lethargy and hyper-sensitivity to any form of rejection.

Dysthymia is a kind of low-grade depression that can last for two years. It’s not as debilitating as a Major Depression, but it can and does interfere with the daily life of those who suffer from it. Most days a person suffering from dysthymic disorder will feel anywhere from mildly to moderately depressed with short periods of feeling normal. Some with dysthmic depression also fall into Major Depressive Episodes and this is called double depression.

SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder is the name used to refer to a seasonal pattern of major depression that happen during the fall and winter months when sunlight is in short supply, especially in northern climates. The symptoms disappear once the sun reappears or the person suffering from SAD uses a special light.

Postpartum Depression affects many women who have recently given birth and is considered to be brought on by the hormonal upheavals that new mother’s experience. It generally lasts longer and is more severe than a simple bout of the ‘baby blues’ and can occur right after birth or up to six months afterwards.

The good news is that depression is a treatable disease and seeing your doctor is your first step on the road to feeling like yourself again. If someone you know is suffering from some of these symptoms, talk to them about what you think might be going on. It might turn them around.

-Rebbekah White