Research shows that depression is one of the top killers of the world. Suicide rates caused by depression are increasing by the day. Depression is not just feeling sad or unhappy; it is a lot more than that. Depression is a mental illness that affects our day to day life, work, etc.
There are different types of depression. Knowing the type of depression you are battling with, would give you a headway in knowing the kind of treatments you need to cure it.
- Major Depression. Major depression is also clinical depression, major depressive disorder or simply called depression. Anyone suffering from major depression would experience feelings of sadness for too long. The exact cause of major depression is not known, but it can be due to the abuse of drugs or alcohol, some medical condition, and by taking medications. Major depression can affect one’s daily life.
- Feeling worthless
- Weight gain or loss
- Excessive fatigue
- Lack of energy
- Trouble concentrating or making decisions
- Contemplating suicide
- Avoiding drugs and alcohol
- Lifestyle changes
- Melancholia. People suffering from melancholia would have extreme feelings of sadness and persistent sense of hopelessness. Melancholia can affect the sufferer daily life, relationships, work, activities, eating and sleep. It can also lead to suicide. Underlying illnesses, psychotic illnesses, and biological factors can contribute to melancholia.
- Weight loss
- Difficulty sleeping
- Suicide attempts
- Extreme sadness or hopelessness
- Severe depression in the morning
- Lack of interest in hobbies or activities
- Talk therapy
- Seasonal affective disorder (SAD). This depression occurs with season changes; this depression is at its peak during winter. It doesn’t stay long like most types of depression, it clears up on its own within months, but it is advised to visit the doctor if you are suffering from the seasonal affective disorder. The cause of SAD is yet to be pinpointed, but it is believed that SAD is caused due to an imbalance in brain chemicals with the decreased sunlight that occurs mainly in winter.
- Fatigue experience in the day
- Weight loss or gain
- Restlessness, hopelessness, and sadness
- Difficulty concentrating and thinking
- Light therapy
- Healthy lifestyle changes
- DYSTHYMIA (chronic depression). A person suffering from chronic depression tends to take the illness as part of their personality because chronic depression lasts for a very long time. Although the symptoms of the chronic depression are not as severe as most types of depression, they also need to be treated. DYSTHYMIA can be triggered by a genetic predisposition, no social support or social interaction and high level of stress.
- Loss of appetite
- Lack of energy
- Feeling of guilt and fatigue
- Extreme sadness and anger
- Extreme exhaustion
- Psychotic depression. People suffering from psychotic depression would experience psychosis; these include hallucinations and delusions. They can also be paranoid and feel as though the world is crashing all around them.
- Extreme sadness and fear