Feeling blue at times is normal. It fades away with time and you’re back to your old cheerful self. But with depression, that feeling of sadness doesn’t seem to go away, so much so that it begins to impact your daily life and impairs your ability to function. This is why it is important to treat depression early. Leaving it unaddressed could make the feeling worsen to an extent that you might give in to risky behaviors, such as self-harm, or drug or alcohol abuse.
Appetite changes, lack of energy and social withdrawal are some of the other key symptoms of depression, apart from the overall feeling of hopelessness and helplessness. These can impact your relationships, health and career, making the whole situation spiral into a self-fulfilling prophecy. So, it is vital to learn about different kinds of depression to ensure quick intervention by professionals.
Depression treatment can include medication and therapy and can work wonders to change your quality of life. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, meditation training and mindfulness have been found to offer rapid relief. But before that, take a look at the types of depression to make an accurate identification of what you are experiencing.
Major Depressive Disorder
This is also known as clinical, unipolar or classic depression. It is marked by a persistent dark and negative mood. You might experience feelings of guilt, worthlessness, fatigue and agitation. Loss of interest in your favorite activities, difficulty in sleeping and constant anxiety are also common. Suicidal thoughts are common as well. If these symptoms last for more than two weeks, seek help. The condition can also be triggered by various external factors, such as abuse during childhood, medical conditions like cancer or steroids, etc.
Bipolar Depression
This is a repeated interval of depression followed by manic episodes. You might face severe mood swings that could be either extremely high or quite low. A person feels a sense of euphoria during the “high” phase. But the “low” phase has all the symptoms of depression, which can be quite overwhelming. Hopelessness, lethargy, unexplained pain and irritability are common. You might feel empty, have a hard time making decisions and sleep too little or too much. Delusions and hallucinations are also seen in some cases.
Seasonal Depression
This is not a severe condition and usually occurs during early winter. It is accompanied by minor symptoms like social withdrawal, sudden weight gain and feelings of hopelessness. Winter blues mostly occur due to the lack of sunlight and the gloomy weather. Light entering your eyes can create a particular rhythm in the body. In its absence, you could enter a state of depression, with major variations in the pattern. The good news is that you start to feel better once spring or summer comes along. But here too, therapy and medication can lead to rapid recovery.
Perinatal Depression
This occurs during pregnancy, due to the hormonal changes in the body. The condition can last for up to a year post-delivery. You might experience stress, worry, lack of enthusiasm around the new infant, etc. Children born to perinatally depressed mothers are likely to have cognitive delays and a difficult temperament. So, don’t stop taking antidepressants or visiting your therapist.
The other significant types are situational depression, premenstrual depression, depressive psychosis and atypical depression. Do talk to your doctor first in case you start experiencing any signs. It will help you receive the right treatment early, which usually brings better results. Contact IPG Counseling today so we can create a depression treatment plan with you.