WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF DEPRESSION? (Part 2)

Continuation from Part 1

Serious depressions-see your doctor or other health care professional right away!

1. Major depression is the most common and serious type of depression. It has a distinct beginning, can occur once, twice, or be recurrent. This condition affects a person's abilities and habits in almost all areas of life. Suicidal thinking or suicide attempts can be a real concern. If you have a major depression, you may have some of these symptoms nearly every day, all day, for 2 weeks or longer:

• Feeling sad or crying a lot
• Losing interest or pleasure in things you used to enjoy (including sex)
• Feeling guilty, hopeless or worthless
• Thinking about death or suicide
• Sleeping too much, or not being able to go to sleep or stay asleep
• Losing your appetite and losing weight (or eating too much and gaining weight)
• Feeling very tired or slowed down
• Having trouble paying attention and making decisions
• Having aches and pains that don't get better with treatment

2. Bipolar illness involves cycles of depressive symptoms that alternate with mania. During manic episodes, people may become overly active, talkative, euphoric, and irritable.

3. Pospartum depression (PPD) is prevalent in approximately 10% of mothers in the first year after giving birth. PPD is caused by a rapid change in hormones after giving birth. In its mild form, it is called the "baby blues." If it lasts over a month, it can become very serious, endangering both the health of the mother and the baby.

Other mood disorders

• Dysthymia is a chronic mild depression. People with dysthymia frequently lack a zest for life, living a joyless and fatigued existence. Some with dysthymia report that "things are going great" in their life and do not understand why they are depressed. Major depression may accompany dysthymia, which is sometimes termed "double depression."
• Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a kind of depression that occurs during the specific seasons or times of the year when there is less sunshine.
• Premenstrual dysphoria disorder (PDD)--previously called PMS--is a condition which causes women to experience mood changes in the weeks prior to their menstrual period, due to hormonal changes.
• Situation depression is the feeling of situational blues after a specific event such as conflict at work, a speific loss (such as a death or divorce), or a particular financial stress.