Unusual forms of depression

Medical professionals know several forms of depression which are classified based on causes, symptoms and behavior changes. Main forms of depression are:

• Major Depression
• Dysthymia
• Postpartum depression
• Seasonal Affective Disorder
• Bipolar disorder
  

But depression has also several unusual forms which sometimes cannot be recognized or considered just as an unusual behavior.

Catatonic Depression

This type of depression is actually a sub-type of major depression and it is characterized by different types of movement abnormalities. Symptoms of catatonic depression are similar to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), which include repetitive actions.

Catatonic depression is a very specific condition which is characterized by at least two of the following abnormalities:

• Loss of voluntary movement and inability to react to one’s environment
• Excessive movement (purposeless and not in response to one’s environment)
• Extreme resistance to instructions/suggestions or unable/unwilling to speak
• Odd or inappropriate voluntary movements or postures (e.g. repetitive movements, bizarre mannerisms or facial expressions)
• Involuntarily repeating someone’s words or movements in a meaningless way

Minor depression

Minor depression can be also considered as a sub-type of major depression when women suffer from not severe depression symptoms which can last 2-3 week and could become almost not notable after some period. Actually symptoms of minor depression do not meet full criteria for major depression.

Some experts consider minor depression as a preliminary phase of major depression because without treatment women with minor depression have high risk for developing major depressive disorder.

 Atypical Depression

This type of depression could be considered as a variation of depression that is slightly different from major depression. Women with atypical depression sometimes could experience positive feelings – happiness, satisfaction, elation.

Symptoms of atypical depression include reduced energy, fatigue, long sleeping (oversleeping), overeating (binge eating, food addiction) and weight gain, heavy feeling in arms or legs, long standing pattern of sensitivity to rejection. Some women could experience all symptoms of atypical depression during few months but others could have atypical depression during whole life even without knowing about it. This type of depression could be unknown and/or unrecognized cause of obesity in women.

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a very specific type of depression in women when woman suffer from severe depression symptoms ONLY during premenstrual period of the menstrual cycle (about 6-14 days before menstruation). Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a severe type of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) where symptoms of depression (significant irritability, sadness, tension, pains, suicide thoughts, etc.) are much more intense and severe – much stronger than those seen during ordinary Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS).

About 3-7% women could suffer from Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder which can appear only during reproductive period of women life.

Psychotic depression

Psychotic depression is a severe type of depression combined with some form of psychosis – when severe depressive illness includes hallucinations, delusions and/or withdrawing from reality.

Typical symptoms of psychotic depression include disturbing false beliefs or a break with reality (delusions), or hearing or seeing upsetting things that others cannot hear or see (hallucinations).

Agitated Depression

Agitated Depression is a kind of major depression which is characterized by agitation such as physical and emotional restlessness, irritability and insomnia, which is the opposite of many depressed individuals who have low energy and feel slowed down physically and mentally.

Anxiety Depression

Most typical symptom of anxiety depression is being panicky. Anxiety depression symptoms include also social phobia and panic attacks.

Endogenous Depression

Endogenous depression is a depression when no visible reasons could be noted – this type of depression is defined as feeling depressed for no apparent reason. A person suffering from this type of depression will seem depressed and confused. As no external causes of this type of depression were discovered, many scientists suggested that the main reason of endogenous depression could be the body chemistry or changes in the level of hormones.

Existential Depression

Women with existential depression suffer from chronic fatigue, which can be a result of domestic or social abuses. In these cases women can have general lack of interest and do not have a passion to do anything.

Melancholic Depression

Melancholic depression is also a sub-type of major depression. Women with melancholic depression lose interest in any pleasurable things (previously loved activities or hobbies, positive events or celebrations, etc.) – they even don’t show any positive signs when good things happen with them. Women with melancholic depression permanently feel guilty for no reasons and at the same time they experience unconscious excessive movement. Doctors noted that all mentioned symptoms are usually stronger in the early morning hours when the affected woman wakes up early.

Depression induced by medication

Some medications could trigger depression symptoms and even depression itself. All medical professionals know that analgesics, antibiotics, stimulants, steroids, sedatives, antifungal medications as well as some drugs to control the heart, could induce some degree of depression. In these cases the duration of depression usually observed during treatment with above mentioned drugs.

Neurotic Depression

Neurotic depression is characterized with feeling of self-pity, embarrassment, guilt or shame (for no visible reasons). Some types of phobia and the symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder are also common in these cases. It was noted that mentioned symptoms are common during a particular time of the day (for example during evening time).

Situational Depression (Reactive Depression, Adjustment Disorder)

During situational depression all depressive symptoms are developing in response to a specific stressful situation or event (e.g. job loss, relationship ending). Symptoms of situational depression include insomnia, varying levels of appetite, worrying continuously, withdrawal from social and family activities, strong feeling of sorrow. These symptoms occur within 3 months of the stressor and lasts no longer than 6 months after the stressor has ended.

Substance Induced Depression

Some women use substances without any consultation with doctors and misuse of substances and/or overuse of it could trigger depression. Overuse of alcohol also causes a similar effect.

Double Depression

Double depression is a combination of 2 forms of depression when same person has dysthymia (chronic mild depression) and also experiences a major depressive episode (more severe depressive symptoms lasting at least two weeks).

Chronic Depression

Chronic depression is form of major depression which lasts long – for at least two years.

Psychotic Depression

Psychotic depression is also a sub-type of major depression when major depressive episodes are combined with psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations (e.g. hearing voices), delusions (false beliefs).