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Types of depression

by Alivia Nyhan
Published: Last Updated on

The depression is a disorder of mood in which the patient shows decay, sadness, disinterest, demoralization and a noticeable decrease in self – esteem, all for a sustained period of time. In this state of mind, somatic symptoms such as loss of appetite, decreased body weight, sleep disturbances (especially insomnia) and general fatigue may also appear.

It is important to differentiate depression from episodes of fleeting sadness , a natural reaction to specific negative life circumstances, or times of strong stress that trigger a depressed mood disorder. The same occurs with depressive symptoms caused by somatic problems or side effects of certain drugs. At FastlyHealwe clarify what the types of depression are .

Major depressive disorder

This type of depression is manifested by the appearance of a combination of symptoms that make it difficult for the patient to sleep, eat, study, work and enjoy activities in a regular way. Therefore, it ends up being impossible to function normally in their daily life.

In most cases, it develops as a single episode prolonged in time and, once detected, with multiple relapses throughout life. It can be classified into various criteria according to the symptoms present.

Dysthymic disorder

Dysthymia is a type of long-term depression characterized by the presence of mild symptoms. For this reason, the patient is not incapacitated but does find it difficult to feel well naturally. In children and adolescents it usually lasts a minimum of one year, and two years in adults.

Dysthymia patients usually suffer, at least once in their life, an episode of major depression . Dysthymia is considered to be the third most common type of mental disorder in the Spanish population.

Psychotic depression

This type of disorder usually occurs in a different way than those discussed above. Psychotic disorder occurs when, under major depression, some particular form of psychosis develops, such as a clear break with reality or the presence of hallucinations and delusions. At this point other symptoms such as hyperactivity, excessive energy and judgment problems, derived from mania, may appear.

Postpartum depression

This type of depression is diagnosed in women who have recently given birth , after which they have fallen into a state of major depression, usually within a month after delivery. Between 10 and 15% of new mothers tend to suffer from it and it causes anxiety, insomnia, irritability and sadness.

The origin could be in the mix of stress, hormonal imbalances and metabolic changes.

Seasonal affective disorder

It is characterized by the appearance of a depressed mood during the winter months , in which there are fewer hours of sunlight. For this reason, depression usually disappears in the spring and summer seasons and resumes throughout the fall. There is a treatment for it based on light therapy but about half of patients do not respond to it, so it is often combined with antidepressants.

Bipolar disorder

Despite not being a purely depressive disorder, the bipolarity causes intense episodes of major depression , so it is important to highlight it . Bipolar patients suffer cyclical mood swings, going from periods of mania or hypomania to stages of depression, with relative emotional stability in between.

Of course, there is a large list of various classifications derived from the different circumstances in which a depression can appear. Any of them requires a diagnosis and therapy, often accompanied by pharmacological treatment, which allows the patient to improve their quality of life and regain their normal state of mind.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Types of depression , we recommend that you enter our category of Mental Disorders .

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