Depression is a mental disorder that is often characterized by prolonged periods of sadness and melancholy, experts from the field of psychiatry say.
However, just because one person slopes around and hates the world in general, it doesn’t necessarily mean that he/she is suffering from depression, but if this kind of behaviour, that feeling of emptiness, loss of self-worth and absolute lack of hope for happiness continues , then, that person could be, indeed, depressed. However, there are various types of depression too.
Manic or Bipolar depression – characterized by sudden and extreme changes in mood where one minute he or she is in an elevated state of euphoria while the next minute (day or week) he or she is feeling as if he or she is in a personal hell.
Postpartum depression is characterized by a prolonged sadness and a prolonged feeling of emptiness by a new mother where physical stress during child birth, an uncertain sense of responsibility towards the new born baby are just some of the possible reasons why some new mothers suffer from this.
Dysthimia is characterized by a slight similarity with depression, although this type has been proven to be a great deal less severe, however. as with any case of depression, it should be sorted out immediately.
Cyclothemia – characterized by a nominal similarity with Manic or Bipolar depression wherein the individual suffering from this mental illness suffers from severe mood swings.
Seasonal Affective Disorder is characterized by depression only during specific seasons (i.e. Winter, Spring, Summer or Autumn). However, studies show that most sufferers actually fall ill during the Winter and Autumn seasons, which suggests that light plays a role. Or they could suffer from severe mood swings, wherein a person’s mood may shift from happy to sad to angry in quite a short period of time.
‘Clinical depression’ or ‘major depression’, as some call it, is the actual medical term for depression. In fact, clinical depression is more a disorder than an illness, since it refers to those who are suffering from the symptoms that cause depression.
However, in spite of being an actual disorder, clinical depression can be treated. Doctors are usually highly optimistic that patients suffering from clinical depression will soon be well on their way to good mental health as long as they are treated as soon as they have been diagnosed. Patients who have looked for treatment for clinical depression have proven to be quite successful in their quest, given that 80 percent of those treated have found relief from their disorder.
If you are looking for answers to questions related to clinical depression, the depression section of the health centre is highly recommended, as well as books on psychiatry and the Internet, which offers a lot of helpful information, although self medication is highly frowned upon. Clinical depression may not pose as great of a threat as the other types of mental illness, but it is best to leave to the professionals who can treat and cure this disorder.
Clinical depression can be a very debilitating disorder and is so distressing to suffer or observe. Learn more here: Treating Depression Also published at About Clinical Depression.
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