Are there different types of depression?

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.

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.

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.

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.

Classified as a mood disorder, depression affects people very differently. There are also different types of depression.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Yes there is clinical depression, major depression and many others that can really affect your lifestyle.