Types Of Depression
>> Thursday, February 25, 2010
How many types of depression are out there? This question generated endless debates in the psychiatric circles. Nowadays the official classification of the mood disorders and the one that is most widely used is the unipolar-bipolar dichotomy described in the DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed.), an American Psychiatric Association publication which describes the standard criteria for different types of psychiatric disorders. The unipolar-bipolar distinction is based merely on the duration and severity of the symptoms the person has and doesn't regard de causes of the disorder.
UNIPOLAR DEPRESSION is characterized by episodes of depression but no manic episodes. Unipolar depression is ten times more frequent thatn bipolar depression and can be divided in:
- Major Depressive Disorder (also known as Major Depression or Clinical Depression) is a severe form of depression characterized by at least five of the following symptoms diring a minimum of a 2-week period: depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, diminished interest or pleasure int he activities that were once enjoyed, significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain, insomnia or hypersomnia, psychomotor agitation or retardation, fatigue or loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt, diminished ability to think or concentrate, recurrent thoughts of death;
- Dysthymia (or Dysthymic Disorder)is a persistent but less severe form of depression with a minimum of 2 years of depressed mood history for most of the day, for more days than not. Poor appetite or overeating, insomnia or hypersomnia, low energy or fatigue, low self-esteem, poor concentration or difficulty making decisions, feelings of hopelessness can also be present;
- a third category according to DSM-IV includes the Depressive Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, any depressive disorder that does not meet the criteria for a specific disorder.
BIPOLAR DEPRESSION also known as manic depression is a disorder characterized by moods cycling between high and low over time. is characterized by alternate periods of mania and depression. People who had a manic or hypomanic episodes but never before an episode of depression are also diagnosed with bipolar depression. The bipolar depression is classified in:
- Bipolar I Disorder is characterized by one or more manic episodes with or without major depressive episodes. A depression episode is not required for bipolar I disorder to be diagnosed, though it frequently occurs.
- Bipolar II Disorder is characterized by one or more hypomanic episodes, from which none was a full manic episode. Bipolar II is involves mood swings from depressed to hypomanic states.
- Cyclothymia is characterized by numerous hypomanic episodes alternated with mild depression episodes. Cyclothymia is a milder form of bipolar disorder that consists of cyclical mood swings.
- Major Depressive Disorder (also known as Major Depression or Clinical Depression) is a severe form of depression characterized by at least five of the following symptoms diring a minimum of a 2-week period: depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, diminished interest or pleasure int he activities that were once enjoyed, significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain, insomnia or hypersomnia, psychomotor agitation or retardation, fatigue or loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt, diminished ability to think or concentrate, recurrent thoughts of death;
- Dysthymia (or Dysthymic Disorder)is a persistent but less severe form of depression with a minimum of 2 years of depressed mood history for most of the day, for more days than not. Poor appetite or overeating, insomnia or hypersomnia, low energy or fatigue, low self-esteem, poor concentration or difficulty making decisions, feelings of hopelessness can also be present;
- a third category according to DSM-IV includes the Depressive Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, any depressive disorder that does not meet the criteria for a specific disorder.
BIPOLAR DEPRESSION also known as manic depression is a disorder characterized by moods cycling between high and low over time. is characterized by alternate periods of mania and depression. People who had a manic or hypomanic episodes but never before an episode of depression are also diagnosed with bipolar depression. The bipolar depression is classified in:
- Bipolar I Disorder is characterized by one or more manic episodes with or without major depressive episodes. A depression episode is not required for bipolar I disorder to be diagnosed, though it frequently occurs.
- Bipolar II Disorder is characterized by one or more hypomanic episodes, from which none was a full manic episode. Bipolar II is involves mood swings from depressed to hypomanic states.
- Cyclothymia is characterized by numerous hypomanic episodes alternated with mild depression episodes. Cyclothymia is a milder form of bipolar disorder that consists of cyclical mood swings.
On the other hand we can look at the causes of the depression and not at its symptoms. A person could be suffering from reactive depression or exogenous depression - depression caused by a negative experience or generally put, a state of depression precipitated by events in the person's life - and endogenous depression - the person is depressed for no apparent reason. The reactive depression is also reffered as psychosocial depression and the endogenous depression as biological depression. However, this kind of distinction didn't get any substantial empirical support.
A third classification makes the difference between primary and secondary depression. Primary depression is a mood disorder that exists isolated, when the person doesn't suffer from any other disorder. Secondary depression is the disorder that seems to be caused by some other underlying condition. This classification was developed originally for research reasons, when it was expected that the two types might differ in their symptoms and response to treatment. In practice this has not been found to be the case and, for this reason, the classification is no longer widely used. This classification refers merely to the order of appearance and does not refer to any causal link between the different conditions.
A third classification makes the difference between primary and secondary depression. Primary depression is a mood disorder that exists isolated, when the person doesn't suffer from any other disorder. Secondary depression is the disorder that seems to be caused by some other underlying condition. This classification was developed originally for research reasons, when it was expected that the two types might differ in their symptoms and response to treatment. In practice this has not been found to be the case and, for this reason, the classification is no longer widely used. This classification refers merely to the order of appearance and does not refer to any causal link between the different conditions.
by Daniel Gilbert
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