Two Types of Depression

Depression can disrupt an individual's work, home and social life to an enormous degree. Many individuals suffering from depression become confused as to why they are depressed and are unsure of how to categorize their condition. There are two kinds of depression that are commonly seen in individuals afflicted with depression.

Major/Clinical Depression

• Major/clinical depression is also referred to as major depressive disorder. When an individual undergoes a major depressive episode, his symptoms generally last every day for a period of at least two weeks. He will have a depressed mood, displaying a loss of interest and pleasure in otherwise engaging activities. Other symptoms include: marked weight loss or weight gain, insomnia, oversleeping, tiredness, feelings of hopelessness and guilt, lack of focus, indecisiveness and thoughts of or attempted suicide. An individual can suffer from major depressive disorder only once, but it often manifests several times. Indefinite treatment may be required for those living with major depression.

Postpartum Depression

• One of the most common forms of major depression is postpartum depression. Some women experience postpartum depression (major depressive episode) after childbirth. Symptoms usually occur four weeks after delivery. Depending on the mother, symptoms vary in their severity and length. Postpartum depression is not to be confused with "baby blues" which involve anxiety, tiredness, irritability and sadness. These feelings plus prolonged headaches, exhaustion, crying for no apparent reason, extreme mood swings, distorted thinking, apathy and feelings of inadequacy signal postpartum depression.

Major Depression Treatment

• When choosing a treatment type for a patient with major depression, the therapist must decide whether hospitalization or outpatient treatment is most appropriate. If the patient has a risk of suicide, needs medical diagnosis and is greatly unable to care for himself then he should be hospitalized. If he experiences milder to more moderate symptoms then he can be treated on an outpatient basis where frequent evaluation by the therapist occurs. Anti-depressants such as Paxil and Prozac are often used to treat patients with major depression. These drugs are associated with having lower risks of side-effects; in the case of an overdose they are considered to have a low fatality rate.

Manic Depression

• Manic depression is also referred to as bipolar disorder. The victim undergoes moments of extreme highs (mania) and lows (depression). There can be a fluctuation between the occurrence of these two stages, where the moods changes swiftly and drastically. When the individual undergoes a manic episode, she will either be consistently elevated or persistently depressed. Symptoms of a manic episode include grandiose thoughts and an overblown self-esteem, talkativeness, risky behavior (unsafe sex, poor business decisions and careless spending), no interest in sleep and racing thoughts. If manic depression is left untreated, it can evolve into a psychotic disorder.

Manic Depression Treatment

• Individuals suffering from manic depression are advised to seek continuous treatment; episodes tend to be recurring. Most psychiatrists will prescribe mood stabilizers, such as lithium or valproate to manic depression patients. Patients are also advised to spot the "triggers", resulting in manic depression episodes; knowing what causes these episodes can help the victim to control them better.