Defining the Most Common Types of Depression

When a friend recently told me about how her husband suffers from a type of depression called seasonal affective disorder, I thought this is something new. I have heard of the different types of depression from my other friends (one of whom is, in fact, an expert in the field of psychotherapy), but none of them has mentioned anything about seasonal affective disorder. Pressing my friend to define the condition she said her husband suffers from, she mentioned that her husband's psychotherapist told them that seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression associated with the shorter days and reduced exposure to light which are characteristics in fall and winter.

Depressions, or emotional disturbances, come in different forms and degrees that even experts have difficulty categorizing them into distinct classes. The most common types of depression include reactive depression, neurotic depression, and major or psychotic depression. Each of these types has specific causes, although one or all of them may be the result of chronic illness, alcohol or drug abuse, or as a side effect of some therapy.

Experts estimate that about seven percent of the population suffer from reactive depression at any one time. In many cases, reactive depression results from some emotional stresses. Such stressful situations, which cause anxiety, unhappiness, or grief, are part of normal living without being indicative of any disease. How people respond to reactive depression differ considerably. When a person's response appears to be out of proportion to the stressful situation involved, that person is deemed to be suffering from neurotic depression. A loss or some unresolved earlier emotional conflicts may be the causes of neurotic depression.

Major or psychotic depression is believed to be the most serious type of depression. This condition takes place without any evident external cause, and there can be a number of overlap. Psychotic depression may be the result of physical illness, psychological stress, or hormonal changes in a person with an underlying susceptibility to depression.

In many cases, those who suffer from mild degrees of depression do not reach the stage of receiving medical help. But in others, the true diagnosis may only become evident during the course of treatment. Experts say that antidepressants used in conjunction with psychotherapy may be the most effective treatment for major depression. A person suffering from depression is likely to have an imbalance of certain neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and norepinephrine. These chemicals, which allow brain cells to communicate with each other, can be brought back into balance with the help of antidepressants. In cases of mild to moderate depression, interpersonal therapy can be as effective as antidepressants.

If antidepressants and psychotherapy don't work, experts will most likely recommend the use of electroconvulsive therapy, or ECT. This form of treatment, while it does have a not-too-good reputation, is noted for being effective in treating severe depression. As a matter of fact, it is the treatment of choice for certain cases of psychotic depression. In ECT (this treatment procedure is not painful), drugs are dispensed to put the patient to sleep and relax his muscles. In this way, injury is prevented.

I am not sure under which type of depression the condition of my friend's husband falls. She described her husband as having gained unwanted pounds, a likely result of consuming too much of starchy foods; he gets adequate sleep, but still feels depressed and fatigued; he has seemingly lost interest in sex, as well as in socializing. A quick, midday walk can be effective in treating mild to moderate cases of seasonal affective disorder. On the other hand, severe cases can be treated by means of light therapy. In this treatment method, the patient is exposed to high-intensity light regularly and frequently. It is very important that this procedure is carried out under the close supervision of a doctor, as how my friend's husband is now going through it. A special device, equipped with full-spectrum lights, is used in his thirty-minute, once-a-day therapy. According to my friend, her husband is required to continue with this treatment procedure for the remainder of the winter months. [Read the Original Article]