Types of Depression

Depression is a condition that affects thousands of people in the United States, but depression itself is not universal. There are numerous types of depression, and each type of depression can affect each patient differently. Before a person can begin to cope with his or her depression, the cause of the person's depression must be addressed. This means identifying the type of depression a person has. Only then can the symptoms of depression be addressed in a manner that is most effective.

Clinical Depression: Also known as severe depression, this is the most common type of depression that requires intensive treatment. Most people who are diagnosed with clinical depression show symptoms such as sadness, a disinterest in life or feelings of self-loathing and anger. It's common for people who are depressed to have social anxiety issues or to suffer decreasing performance at work or at school. Treatment for clinical depression often focuses around therapy and medication.

Bipolar Disorder: This type of depression is characterized by the extreme emotional highs and lows often experienced by patients. Because people with bipolar disorder are always experiencing different moods, they may behave unpredictably and inappropriately for many situations. Most people who are diagnosed with bipolar depression must take medication long-term to avoid spikes in their symptoms.

Mild depression: People who have this form of depression often feel just mild disinterest, anger or sadness, but these feelings can persist for several months on end. Mild depression is very common, and this is also regarded as one of the most difficult types of depression to treat. People with mild depression often wait too long before they seek help from a trained mental health professional.

Seasonal affective disorder: Also known as seasonal depression, this type of depression is very commonly diagnosed during the cold, dark winter months. The legitimacy of seasonal affective disorder is often debated by mental health professionals, but there's no denying the data that more people seek help for depression during the fall and winter.

Postpartum Depression: Women who are pregnant or who have just given birth may experience postpartum depression. The symptoms of this type of depression may include symptoms of clinical depression, but in many cases new mothers also show destructive feelings toward their infants. This type of depression can also be treated with medication and counseling.