There is a common misconception that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in your brain, however, it is actually due to a combination of biological, psychological and environmental factors. The symptoms of depression can vary from person to person.
Depression is a very common mental illness that affects up to 20% of people worldwide. But what is depression? And what are the different types of depression? Depression can be thought of as a spectrum with mild depression at one end and severe depression at the other. Mild depression often goes undiagnosed because it is so common and so hard to diagnose.
While many people experience depression, some people are more prone to experience symptoms of depression than others. People who have experienced a traumatic event or loss, or who have a family history of depression, are more likely to experience depression.
There are different types of depression. Some are biological and some are not. For example, clinical depression may have genetic components. However, the experience of a depressed mood and loss of interest and pleasure is not a biological disorder. It is an experience that we all share at times. It is part of what makes us human. The difference between clinical depression and ordinary sadness is that in clinical depression, a person feels hopeless and helpless, and doesn’t know why or how to fix the problem.
What is depression?
Depression is a very common mental illness that affects up to 20% of people worldwide. In the UK alone, around 2 million people have depression, with 500,000 cases being treated in primary care.
Depression is usually associated with anxiety and stress, and it affects both men and women equally. It is also a major cause of suicide, with a global rate of 3.5 million deaths from suicide each year.
While the symptoms of depression vary from person to person, they typically include feelings of hopelessness, despair, guilt, anxiety, irritability, and low mood. People who suffer from depression may also experience sleep problems, lack of energy, difficulty focusing, changes in appetite, and thoughts of death.
What are the different types of depression?
Depression is a very common mental illness that affects up to 20% of people worldwide. But what is depression? And what are the different types of depression?
There are three types of depression, and each has a different set of symptoms.
• Major depression — People with major depression are usually severely depressed, and they may have suicidal thoughts.
• Dysthymic disorder — People with dysthymic disorder are always sad and unhappy, but the mood doesn’t interfere with daily life.
• Subclinical depression — Subclinical depression is not severe enough to meet the criteria for a diagnosis of major depression or dysthymic disorder.
What are the signs and symptoms?
There are four main types of depression:
Major depression:
The most severe form of depression, where someone feels sad, hopeless, or guilty almost all the time. Symptoms include fatigue, sleep problems, low energy, loss of interest in activities, feeling worthless or guilty, thoughts of suicide, and problems concentrating.
Sub-clinical depression:
The second type of depression is sub-clinical, meaning the symptoms are not as severe. People experience some of the symptoms listed above but not all of them.
Mild depression:
Mild depression is the most common form of depression. Symptoms include feeling down, tired, and having low energy. People can be less productive, and may feel restless or have low self-esteem.
Subthreshold depression
There are two forms of sub-threshold depression: “sub-clinical” and “mild.” Sub-clinical depression is a type of “low-grade” depression that does not meet full diagnostic criteria, but it is still clinically significant.
Mild depression is a condition that affects the quality of life of the person experiencing it. Symptoms include anxiety, mood swings, irritability, fatigue, and loss of interest in things. It is also sometimes called “situational” depression, because it is most commonly found in certain situations.
Dissociative depression
If you think you’re depressed but your mood doesn’t seem to match your situation, there’s a good chance you have dissociative depression. This form of depression is characterized by paranoia, depression, anxiety, and amnesia. When you experience these symptoms, it’s important to seek help. Don’t wait until things get out of control.
Frequently Asked Questions Types of Depression
Q: How do you know if you are depressed?
A: People with depression feel hopeless, worthless, and helpless.
Q: Do you think there’s a stigma surrounding depression?
A: Yes, there is a stigma associated with it, because a lot of people don’t talk about it or don’t know how to talk about it.
Q: Who do you think is more prone to suffer from depression?
A: Everyone suffers from it. Some people just have it harder than others. If you suffer from depression, talk to someone and tell them what you’re going through.
Q: How would you describe the difference between the different types of depression?
A: There are three types of depression: chronic, acute, and seasonal. Chronic depression is when the symptoms last longer than two weeks. Acute depression is when you feel better, but the symptoms come back. Seasonal depression occurs with the changing seasons. For example, you may feel more depressed in the summer because you don’t have school.
Q: Why do people experience depression?
A: When you’re depressed, it’s not that you want to be sad or unhappy; it’s that you feel like nothing will make you feel better. You just have no motivation to feel better.
Top 3 Myths About Types of Depression
1. There are no different types of depression.
2. Antidepressant drugs can treat all forms of depression.
3. It is a biological disease and not a psychological one.
Conclusion
Depression is a mood disorder. It involves feeling sad or blue. Sometimes you feel a little sad, but not too much. But then something happens and you feel very sad or depressed. The most common type of depression is called major depression. Major depression is when your sadness lasts for two weeks or longer. You feel sad or depressed for a long period. Another type of depression is called minor depression. Minor depression is when you feel sad or blue for only a few days. It doesn’t last as long as major depression. There are many reasons why people experience depression. It’s because we don’t have the right chemicals in our brains to feel happy.
