| Depressive Disorders |
Depression is more common than most people think and can be caused by chemical (serotonin) imbalance or by situations. Feeling down from time to time is normal, but people with depression are less likely to be successful at pulling out of their depression and more likely to find themselves unable to function as a result. Chemical depression can be effectively eased or lifted by antidepressant medications (prescribed and monitored by a qualified professional) and/or therapy, while situational depression often requires only life changes (increased exercise, leaving a bad relationship, etc) and/or therapy. At times, however, people with situational depression may also require temporary use of antidepressant medications (prescribed and monitored by a qualified professional) to help them "over the hump" enough to take the steps necessary to make such changes.
Depressive Disorders
- Major Depression
- Dysthymia
- BiPolar Disorder
- Seasonal Affective Disorder
- Post Partum Depression
- Endogenous Depression
Depression comes in a number of different types and some of them (such as Major Depression and Dysthymia) can overlap. Also, people with a diagnosed with depression may also diagnosed with other conditions since depression is often linked with other problems. Some diagnoses that commonly go hand-in-hand with depression are Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Alcoholism/Substance Abuse, Eating Disorders, and Anxiety Disorders. Depression, regardless of the type, is one of the most treatable mental illnesses.
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| Major Depression |
Major Depression is the diagnosis given to people who exhibit a combination of depressive symptoms that interfere with their life during a single severe period. These episodes of depression can occur once, twice, or several times in a lifetime. Major Depression can also occur for someone with Dysthymia, which causes Double Depression. Major Depression can be either chemical or situational.
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| Dysthymia |
Dysthymia is the diagnosis given to people who have less severe, long-term, and chronic depressive symptoms that prevent them from functioning fully or feeling good. They seem to always be mildly depressed. People with Dysthymia can also experience episodes of Major Depression, which causes Double Depression. Dysthymia is believed to, more often, be the result of chemical imbalance.
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| BiPolar Disorder |
BiPolar Disorder is the diagnosis given to people who have cycles (sometimes dramatic and rapid but most often they are gradual) of depression and mania. When in the depressed cycle they can have any or all of the depressive symptoms of a depressive disorder and when in the manic cycle they can have any or all mania symptoms. Scientists believe this cyclic disorder is the product of a chemical imbalance in the brain chemistry which can be successfully treated with mood stabilizer medications.
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| Seasonal Affective Disorder |
Seasonal Affective Disorder is the diagnosis given to people who have a pattern of depression in which depressive symptoms recur every fall or winter. This form of depression is believed to be the result of a chemical imbalance caused by changes in light exposure. Therefore, Photo Therapy (morning exposure to bright, full spectrum light) can often be extremely helpful.
More Information: Shedding Light On Seasonal Affective Disorder
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| Post Partum Depression |
Post Partum Depression is the diagnosis given to women who have recently given birth and suffer from severe depressive symptoms that last more than a few days to a week. Post Partum Depression can have a strong impact on the newborn baby as well as the mother.
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| Endogenous Depression |
Endogenous Depression is the diagnosis given to people who have depressive symptoms without a bad event, stressful situation, or other apparent outside cause. In other words, it is any depression that is not situational in nature.
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| Symptoms of Depression & Mania |
Depression
- Noticeable change of appetite.
- Noticeable change in sleeping patterns.
- Loss of interest and pleasure in normal activities.
- Loss of energy, fatigue.
- Feelings of worthlessness.
- Persistent feelings of hopelessness.
- Feelings of inappropriate guilt.
- Inability to concentrate or think, indecisiveness.
- Overwhelming feelings of sadness and grief.
- Disturbed thinking.
- Physical symptoms, such as headaches.
- Recurring thoughts of death or suicide, suicide attempts.
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Mania
- Excessively good, euphoric, or irritable mood.
- Unwarranted optimism and lack of judgement.
- Self-confidence to point of grandiose delusions.
- Hyperactivity, excessive planning, reckless driving.
- Spending sprees, foolish investments.
- Unusual sexual behavior.
- Thoughts race uncontrollably.
- Nonstop rush of ideas that abruptly change from topics.
- Totally disorganized and incoherent thought processes.
- Decreased need for sleep.
- Distractibility.
- Sudden irritability, rage or paranoia.
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More Information: Goldberg's Depression and Mania Scales
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| Depressive Disorders Sources |
- Dr. John Grohol's Psych Central
- Enpsychlopedia.Com
- Mental Help Net
- Soul's Self-Help Central
- American Psychiatric Association
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR™)
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