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Are there different types of depression?

45 Answers
Last Updated: 11/10/2020 at 3:20pm
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Paola Giordani, Psychoanalyst

Licensed Psychoanalyst

I have helped and am helping people cope with loss, divorce, anguish and parenting. Depression is also a major issue that comes up.

Top Rated Answers
kusuma
October 27th, 2014 9:51am
It's normal to feel down once in a while, but if you're sad most of the time and it affects your daily life, you may have depression. It's a condition you can treat with medicine, talking to a therapist, or changes to your lifestyle. There are many different types of depression. Events in your life cause some, and chemical changes in your brain cause others. Whatever the cause, your first step is to let your doctor know how you're feeling. She may refer you to a mental health specialist to help figure out the type of depression you have. This diagnosis is important in deciding the right treatment for you. A Visual Guide to Understanding Depression Major Depression You may hear your doctor call this "major depressive disorder." You might have this type if you feel depressed most of the time for most days of the week. Some other symptoms you might have are: Loss of interest or pleasure in your activities Weight loss or gain Trouble getting to sleep or feeling sleepy during the day Feelings of being "sped up" or "slowed down" Being tired and without energy Feeling worthless or guilty Trouble concentrating or making decisions Thoughts of suicide Your doctor might diagnose you with major depression if you have five or more of these symptoms on most days for 2 weeks or longer. At least one of the symptoms must be a depressed mood or loss of interest in activities. Talk therapy can help. You'll meet with a mental health specialist who will help you find ways to manage your depression. Medications called antidepressants can also be useful. When therapy and medication aren't working, two other options your doctor may suggest are: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) ECT uses electrical pulses and rTMS uses a special kind of magnet to increase certain areas of brain activity. This helps the parts of your brain that control your mood work better. Persistent Depressive Disorder If you have depression that lasts for 2 years or longer, it's called persistent depressive disorder. It used to be known as dysthymia. You may have symptoms such as: Change in your appetite (not eating enough or overeating) Sleep too much or too little Lack of energy, or fatigue Low self-esteem Trouble concentrating or making decisions Feel hopeless You may be treated with psychotherapy, medication, or a combination of the two.
IlanaL
September 30th, 2014 3:03pm
Yes, for example major (clinical) depression or chronic depression. Furthermore everyone acts differently when they're depressed. Some people are always sad while others aren't able to feel anything.
Anonymous
August 17th, 2015 4:14pm
Yes. There's bipolar, seasonal affective disorder, dysthymia, major depression, atypical and melancholic. I am pretty sure there are more but if you ever want to learn more I suggest you look up in google: different types of depression. It will give you much more information than I can.
Eurymeda
April 4th, 2015 9:11am
Classified as a mood disorder, depression affects people very differently. There are also different types of depression.
Wes2
November 4th, 2014 8:52am
There are many! This why you should see a professional if you think you have depression, so you can figure out what kind you have, how it affects you, and how best to address it in your day to day life.
Mokie
November 1st, 2014 12:37pm
There are many different types of depression out there, from Manic Depression to Post Partum Depression and all different shades of depression in between. If you feel you are suffering from depression, talking to your doctor is the best start. They can advise you as to what your next step to getting better will be. There is also more information available on our Depression Self Help Guide, should you want some further reading on the subject.
scenicJoy56
February 27th, 2018 6:48am
There are actually a lot of different types of depression. It can range from seasonal affective disorder to persistent depressive disorder to situational depression. Depression can also manifest in different ways. If you’re concerned about depression it is really important to talk to a professional. Most forms of depression are really treatable and the recovery rate is actually better the quicker you start treatment.
Anonymous
November 10th, 2020 3:20pm
Yes, there are different types of depression that impact so many different people. Some example may be seasonal depression (feeling low in the winter months due to reduced sunlight), postnatal depression (women experiencing depression after giving birth) and major depressive disorder. There are so many different symptoms of depression, so it can affect everyone differently. Depression can also be experienced with other mental health disorders or symptoms such as anxiety or even result in bipolar disorder. If you suspect that you are suffering from depression, please visit the doctor who is able to give an accurate diagnosis and suitable help.
Bestiwilldo4u
November 3rd, 2015 7:44pm
I say no different... coz it's all outside perspectives... its our mind and heart which is suffering...
Anonymous
December 21st, 2015 7:05am
Of course! No one is the same therefore no one with depression has the same type of depression. We are all different
Tom77
September 24th, 2014 12:14am
Yes. There is bipolar which involves extreme highs and lows. There is also clinical depression which involves the person being major depressed all the time. Both involve in depth treatment based the causes and circumstances surrounding the depression.
25Ashley
March 8th, 2016 3:20am
There are a lot of different kinds of depression, each one has in my opinion a separate trigger. each one causes pain but there are different classifications. essentially different breadths and depths for example: Chronic Depression vs. Seasonal Depression.
Dogmatix8
March 29th, 2016 7:31pm
I think that everyone has a different experience of depression but there are similar things such as a lack of motivation ect.
Anonymous
April 11th, 2016 2:27am
Yes, there are many types, there's one where you feel it constantly and then there's seasonal affective disorder which you get a sense of depression when there is a lack of sunlight and many more other types
awesomeGrace
April 18th, 2016 12:35am
There are lots of types of depression. Each season of life has it's own struggles and successes. Each person experiences things in their own way. No one person's trials supersedes another person's.
Anonymous
May 2nd, 2016 7:32am
Yes, there are many kinds of depression. Depression is very common and very diverse. Classical depression, also called melancholic depression, was first described over two thousand years ago. People with classical depression usually have trouble sleeping - they wake up too early in the morning and cannot fall asleep again. They also don't want to eat, and they lose weight. Even when good things happen, they still feel sad and hopeless. Less than 50% of depression patients match these classic symptoms, and this is called atypical depression. Many depressed people sleep too much. Many depressed people eat too much and gain weight. Many depressed people do feel happier, for a short time, if good things happen. People with classical depression tend to get depressed for a few months, but then they get better again. Some types of depression are much more brief. Women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) get very depressed during a certain stage of their menstrual cycle, but it usually lasts no more than two weeks. Different types of depression respond to different medications, so it is important to find a doctor and talk about your symptoms. How much do you sleep? How much do you eat? When do you feel happy? What negative feelings do you experience? When a doctor or therapist has a good idea of what type of depression you have, they can make recommendations just for you. Everyone is different, and every case of depression is different. Although there are broad categories with important similarities, such as classical depression, bipolar depression, psychotic depression, and PMDD.
TaranWanderer
May 2nd, 2017 6:57pm
Yes! Not only are there different types, but even the same types are a different experience for different people. Some of the main types are: Major depression, Seasonal, Persistent, Dysthymia, Double (Mix of Dysthymia and clinical depression), Bipolar, Postpartum, etc.
Anonymous
September 6th, 2016 10:33am
Googling so hard? Major Depression Persistent Depressive Disorder Bipolar Disorder Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Psychotic Depression Postpartum Depression Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) 'Situational' Depression Atypical Depression
exquisiteBlanket21
September 26th, 2016 2:04am
there are two main categories of depression—major depressive disorder and dysthymia—and a grouping of other, less common types. There are also a number of other mood disorders that can cause depression symptoms.
Austintin
October 3rd, 2017 3:42pm
Absolutely. Depression can affect men and women differently. As well, there are sub-sets of depression . Major depression affects about 6.7 percent of the U.S. population over age 18, according to the National Institute of Mental Health — although women are 70 percent more likely to be diagnosed with major depressive disorder than men. There’s no clear-cut cause for major depressive disorder, although doctors think it could stem from anything from traumatic life events to brain chemistry, genetics and hormones.
afzalmaverick
October 18th, 2016 4:08am
Yes there are many its depends on the symptoms and duration eg powt traumatic, major depression etc
PlumQueen2988
October 25th, 2016 6:38am
Yes, there are multiple types of depression, depending on what you are depressed about, and also types of depression depending on its level of occurrence.
Georgia
August 28th, 2017 1:00pm
Of course! There's several types, such as Postnatal Depression for new Mom's, Bipolar Depression, Manic Depression and so much more!
Anonymous
February 6th, 2017 4:35pm
yes there are. for example you can have a depressive episode which is often caused by a very disturbing or stressful event that happened in your life. a depressive episode is temporary. then there's depression caused by these same things but it's longer than just one episode. you don't necessarily need a cause to suffer from depression. there's chemical things in your brain that can be causing your depression.
Gaara
February 6th, 2017 7:37pm
There's a huge variety of depressions everyone experiences differently. Here's a list of just a few: Major Depression Persistent Depressive Disorder Bipolar Disorder Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Psychotic Depression Peripartum (Postpartum) Depression Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)
PeacefulFruit
November 2nd, 2014 9:36pm
Depression can have different faces but ultimately the problem is the same. The problem can also be deeper rooted depending on the person, but it becomes very subjective and incomparable. I think that the problem is the inability to gain satisfaction, slowly the mind stops to even look for satisfaction as it has accepted there is none to be found. It's kind of a vicious cycle at that point that becomes very difficult to break.
NeonWarrior
October 4th, 2014 12:15am
Yeah, there are. I guess it depends on the severity, the person, the events to cause it, and generally the situation itself. The depression is best treated if the person can explain it.
HanneABJ
October 15th, 2014 9:24am
Yes there is. Depression varies from person to person, and it never feels the same for each one, it is impossible to understand what the other person with depression is going through, even if you have had a depression yourself.
Helper6754
October 22nd, 2014 3:03am
Yes there is clinical depression, major depression and many others that can really affect your lifestyle.
ZamokuhleMasondo
October 23rd, 2014 5:34pm
Yes, Seasonal Depression (depression that comes about in the winter), Clinical Depression, Post Traumatic Depression etc