What is Depression and What are Its Symptoms and Types?

How many times have you heard people saying that they are feeling depressed? In fact, you must have said it yourself a number of times. It’s fairly common to speak like this in a world which is becoming so fast paced. The fascinating thing is that most people are not aware of what depression actually is.

Depression, or clinical depression, is a condition that can make living a miserable experience for those who have it. It is common to see people calling it by different names, including biological depression, depression, major depression, depressive syndromes, and of course “the blues”. Whatever you call it, it always refers to a feeling of being depressed or sad for several days, weeks, months or even years on end. It is almost always accompanied by having no energy, feelings of hopelessness, keeping you from enjoying the activities that you have always loved doing in the past and also social isolation.

Here, it is crucial to mention that depressive disorders come in different forms and they are characterized by different symptoms. The most common of them all is major depression. There are many symptoms appearing in this category such as feelings of sadness or being constantly anxious. Feelings of worthlessness, guilt, and helplessness, loss of interest in hobbies, decreased energy, difficulty remembering and concentrating and lack of motivation to name a few.

Dysthymia is another type of depressive disorder, though a less severe one. Here, you experience some chronic symptoms that don’t disable you like major depression but keep you from feeling good. It is worth mentioning that it may also lead to major depression.

Bipolar depressive is the third type, which is also known as maniac-depressive illness. This is not as common and is characterized by severe mood swings. Usual irritability, grandiose notions, decreased need for sleep, racing thoughts, increased talking and poor judgment.

If you start experiencing any of these symptoms, it is essential to get in touch with your physician or GP and determine if your symptoms have anything to do with a type of depressive disorder. The earlier you consult with a physician, the better it is for your mental health in the long run.

Learn more about how to live a healthy life.