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What Does Neurotic Depressive Mean?

Depression strikes almost 15 million people per year. Since not all depression sufferers will exhibit the same symptoms, some doctors use additional categories such as "neurotic" or "psychotic" to distinguish types of depression.

  1. Definition

    • Neurotic depression is more commonly known as dysthymia, or dysthymic depression. It is considered to be a mild form of depression with no identifiable cause.

    Neurotic Depression Symptoms

    • The National Alliance on Mental Illness listing of symptoms for all types of depression, including neurotic depression, includes persistent sadness or irritability, changes in sleep habits, difficulty thinking, lack of interest in previously pleasurable activities, and feeling guilty or hopeless.

    Neurotic vs. Psychotic

    • Neurotic depression is usually contrasted with psychotic depression which, unlike neurotic depression, includes symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions along with the other symptoms of depression.

    Treatment

    • Treatment for any type of depression is typically a combination of medication and psychotherapy. There are many types of antidepressants available, and a doctor will work with a patient to determine the best approach.

    Prognosis

    • Prognosis for neurotic depression is good as long as treatment is sought. Any accompanying or underlying factors (such as alcoholism) will need to be addressed in treatment, and medication should only be used short-term.

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