Types of Depression

MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER (MAJOR DEPRESSION):

In this type of depression there is there is more than five mental or physical symptoms that last more than two weeks. Main clinical features of this sadness are mainly deep sadness, loss of interest in usual activities, feeling of worthlessness or guilt, recurrent thoughts of death or suicide, reduced ability to concentrate and agitation, changes in weight or appetite, loss of energy, fatigue, psychomotor retardation, sleep disorders like lack of sleep or early morning awakening. The depressed person may appear miserable with tearful eyes, poor eye cotact, slouching posture, lack of facial expression, speech changes like e.g. soft voice, severely impaired nutrition, neglected personal hygiene, neglecting their children and their loved ones. Loss of appetite and significant weight loss.

Severe deprssion can be psychotic characterized by auditory or visual hallucintions. It can be also catatonic in which there is excessive purposeless activity, grimacing and mimicry of speech or movement.

DYSTHYMIA:

Low level depressive symptoms that begins insideously during adolescence for a course equal or more than two years, that is why many people describe it as life long depression. It may be complecated by episodes of major depression. Patients are usually gloomy, humorless, low energy or fatigue, low self esteeme, Poor concentration, diffculty making decisions, hypercritical of self and others and complaining. Dysthymia should be differentiated from major depression in which there should be five of the clinical features already mentioned in major depressive episode.

Although dysthymia is considered less severe than major depression but its consequences are grave and leads to severe functional impairment and increased morbidity and increased risk of suicide.

DEPRESSION NOT OTHERWISE SPECIFIED:

Number of symptoms that do not meet the criteria for other depressive disorders. It has same symptoms for major depressive disorder ut they last only 2 days to less than 2 weeks.

MIXED ANXIETY DEPRESSION:

Mild symptoms common to anxiety and depression. The course is chronically intermittent.