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It’s common for people to go through phases of sadness and grief but these generally don’t last more than a few days or weeks. But when the feeling persists for a period of more than two weeks, then it may hamper your daily functionings and can take the form of mental health disorders.
Some of the common ways in which chronic depression manifests itself are:
According to WHO (World Health Organization), India is the most depressed country in the world. Statistics from WHO also suggests that there is a lack of awareness in the country and the stigma associated with it is very high. The majority of people know what depression is but aren’t aware of its different types and severity. This blog throws light on different types of depression that you are not aware of!
MDD, also known as clinical depression is the most common type of depression that occurs for more than a week or two. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), about 7% of the world population suffers from it. Although MDD can be managed with treatment, however, not many people go through treatment. It not only affects your mood and behavior but also physical aspects such as your appetite and sleep. A person with MDD may have the following symptoms that include,
MDD is one of those mental disorders which doesn’t have any fixed causes. However, several factors can cause it to aggravate. A combination of genetics, hormonal imbalances, and stress can lead to the development and deterioration of MDD.
The clinical depression symptoms can mostly be cured with the help of medication and psychotherapy. Lifestyle adjustments can also help in abetting the symptoms to some extent.
Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD), also known as dysthymia or chronic depression, is more of a long-term form of depression. It can leave you with feelings of hopelessness, inadequacy, and low self-esteem. It can reduce your interest in daily activities considerably and make you feel extremely unproductive.
Unlike MDD, the persistent depressive disorder (PDD) may not be that as severe. Perhaps it’s effects are mild, moderate or severe for a longer period. Sometimes it can prolong for a year or two. PDD is also known as dysthymia or chronic depression. The symptoms of this depressive disorder include,
It’s difficult to ascertain the exact causes of PDD. However, there may be several factors that can lead to it such as:
Although you can’t prevent PDD, however, you can manage the symptoms of PDD by:
Another form of mental depression is bipolar disorder. This condition is characterized by extreme mood swings consisting of emotional highs (also known as hypomania) and lows (depression). During the manic episodes, you may feel high energy while during the depressive episodes, you may feel extremely low moods. These episodes keep repeating.
There are several types of bipolar disorder:
Mania and hypomania are two different episodes with very different symptoms. Mania causes more severe symptoms as compared to hypomania and cause obstruction work or school activities. A period of mania or hypomania will have at least three or more of the following symptoms:
Depressive periods, on the other hand, may cause symptoms such as:
According to WHO, 1 in 5 mothers in India experiences postpartum depression, after their first delivery. This is due to the hormonal change after pregnancy. In some cases, it may begin during the pre-delivery stage and continues to prolong till post-delivery. PD is also known as perinatal depression. Some of the symptoms associated with it include,
The two main factors that contribute to postpartum depression are:
Unlike other types of depression, PD and PDD are specific types that take a toll on women’s health. Generally, PDD affects women with low moods after the second half of the menstrual cycle. According to the study, about 85% of women in India experience mild symptoms of PDD. Some of the notable symptoms of the premenstrual dysphoric disorder are,
The treatment options for PDD include:
If you are experiencing low moods during winter and perfectly fine during spring and other seasons, then you may have a medical condition called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which is otherwise known as a major depressive disorder with a seasonal pattern. Researchers found: SAD condition is due to the lack of sunlight that affects the part of the brain called the hypothalamus. Here are some of the symptoms associated with SAD are,
The fall and winter SAD symptoms include:
The spring and summer SAD include:
This type of depression isn’t a rare or unusual type of depression. At the same time, it’s not the most common type either. At times you may feel depressed but it fades away when positive things happen. Following are some of the symptoms of atypical depression
Some of the risk factors to atypical depression include:
Psychotic is a mental health condition that causes a person to lose touch with reality. They may hear or see things that don’t exist. Research conducted by the National Alliance on Mental Illness suggests that 20% of people with severe depression experience episodes of psychosis. Symptoms of psychotic depression are
The treatment for psychotic depression mostly occurs in a hospital or controlled setting. You’ll be closely monitored by mental health professionals and given combinations of antidepressants and antipsychotic medications. Antipsychotic medications affect the neurotransmitters which form the basis of communication between the nerve cells of the brain.
Early interventions have huge positive impacts on reducing the symptoms of depression. If you or your loved one may be experiencing any of the mentioned symptoms, reach out to a mental health professional. Call us @ +91 96111 94949