Major Depression

There are many types of depression,

Here are just a few of them.

Major depression is a constant sad irritable mood that won't go away. It interferes with the ability to live a happy, pleasurable life. When untreated, it will last for about 6 months.

Atypical Depression

This depression is a subtype of major depression, but you may be in a happy mood sometimes. That mood usually follows good news or being out with your friends, but that mood will go away soon. This depression has the following symptoms; weight gain or significant increase in appetite, sleeping excessively, a heavy feeling in the arms and legs, and sensitivity to rejection.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):

SAD basically works with the positioning of the sun and the limited amount of sunlight in the winter and the fall. More common in younger people and northern climates.

Adjustment Disorder, with Depression:

This category describes depression that occurs in response to a major life stressor or crisis.

Bipolar Depression:

This type includes both high and low mood swings, as well as a variety of other significant symptoms not present in other depressions. This is considered a more severe type of depression.

Unspecified Depression:

This category is used to help researchers who are studying other specific types of depression, and do not want their data confounded with marginal diagnoses. It includes people with a serious depression, but not quite severe enough to have a diagnosis of a major depression. It also includes people with chronic, moderate depression, which has not been present long enough for a diagnosis of a Dysthymic disorder. (You get the idea!)

Dysthymia:

A "low-grade" type of depression that last for about to years. This is less severe than Major Depression.Many people who have this depression are known to have "Double Depression" because you are mildly to moderately depressed on more days than not, although you may have brief periods of normal mood, so it's kind of weird.