Depression – what is it? Types of depression, symptoms of depression

Depression is a type of disorder that involves feelings of despair, emptiness, and long-lasting intense sadness. This state of mental depression is difficult to clearly define, because depending on the person and the situation that caused it, depression may take different faces. Learn the definition of the disease, its symptoms and types. Find out how to diagnose depression and what to do to regain lost joy in life.

What is depression?

Depression is a persistent state of sadness that is not always caused by a specific situation. What distinguishes him from “normal” depression caused by a bad day, fatigue, financial, work or family problems is that it lasts longer and is more intense. Does it endanger people? Yes! Mainly because it is sometimes downplayed and confused with lows of mood that affect everyone but pass relatively quickly.

Under normal circumstances, a person is able to cope with his failures or inferior form, he knows how to solve a problem, he comes out of failure stronger and richer in new experiences. People with depression don’t have a chance to experience it because they feel apathetic, have no energy or motivation to act, do not see purpose, meaning or hope for themselves.

This is a very negative state – depression can lead to persistent insomnia, somatic symptoms and even suicidal thoughts that often turn into actions.

What are the symptoms of depression?

The symptoms of depression can be easily overlooked in the early stages of illness. Especially since people can feel this state differently. Some are accompanied by insomnia, while others would rather stay in bed. While the former struggle with a lack of appetite, the latter experience uncontrollable cravings. Sometimes apathy, constant fatigue or the need to sleep is not a result of depression, but a lack of vitamins, minerals, long-term exposure to stress or physical illness. Therefore, before a diagnosis of depression is made, other disorders must be ruled out.

People who suffer from depression most often report disturbing changes in their behavior or feelings, such as:

lack of self-confidence and low self-esteem,
concentration disorders, memory problems,
suicidal thoughts, self-harm,
apathy that lasts regardless of the weather, day of the week, overload of home and work responsibilities,
loss of interest in hobbies, work, family,
avoiding the company of others – family and friends. (social phobia)

Any disturbing changes in the behavior of your own or your loved one should be consulted with a specialist. They should not be underestimated and explained – especially when they persist for a long time and cause negative effects. Seeing a psychologist is also important because it will help to identify what specific type of depression you are experiencing. It is important to find the cause and then implement effective treatment directed at the problem and the patient’s needs.

Kinds of depression

Depression can take many forms, which is why it is common to divide. They concern types of depression including:

diseases – recurrent depression or one-off depression (lasting about two weeks) may accompany bipolar disorder. Depression in the latter form occurs less frequently, alternating with periods of mania
of what causes it – biological (internal) or external factors. Moreover, depression may be genetically determined (a person has a predisposition to inherit),
specific circumstances that accompany the appearance of depression – often the disease is caused by a specific experience. Here you should mention postpartum depression or breakup depression with your partner.

As you can see, there is no one specific source of depression . The disease appears as a result of accumulated experiences, difficult experiences, accompanies another disease or is its effect. People with cancer, and even their relatives, are often depressed.

With depression ceased to be treated as a “fiction” or “whim”, work on the disease began. It made it possible to understand many of the mechanisms governing it, to establish the causes and types of the disorder. The American Psychological Association has developed a diagnostic classification. This is the internationally accepted list of the subtypes of depression.

Seasonal depression – occurs mainly in autumn and winter, when the number of sunny days decreases, it gets dark faster and people feel depleted, lethargic and tired.

Postnatal depression – affects young mothers after giving birth. Most women then experience large mood swings, become tearful, irritable and restless. This condition usually wears off and the feeling of well-being stabilizes after about 2 weeks. We talk about postpartum depression when the baby blues lasts longer, does not weaken, and even increases in intensity.

Melancholic depression – worse mood in the morning, early wake up, guilt, weight loss, general malaise.
Psychotic depression , in which the patient struggles with delusions and hallucinations,
Atypical depression – fatigue comes in the evening , the patient is lethargic, sleepy, has increased appetite.
Recurrent depression – lasts relatively short, but returns at regular intervals, e.g. once a month.

Chronic depression – lasts more than two years, is associated with apathy, lack of energy, fatigue, distance from other people, giving up pleasure, hobbies.

Depression after the loss of a loved one , lasting for a period of mourning and longer.
Depression of the elderly – affects mainly seniors, is associated with the occurrence of dementia, dementia, Alzheimer’s, loneliness and lost independence.
Masked depression – it is difficult to establish that the cause of the disorder is depression. Other illnesses, such as anorexia, obsessive and compulsive disorders and alcoholism, are more prominent.

Depression can take various, sometimes non-obvious forms. It can be associated with a neurological disease, and some symptoms can be confused with ordinary fatigue, temporary sadness, or a vitamin or mineral deficiency. However, it is not worth underestimating the disease even at the first stage, because the earlier the treatment is started, the greater the chance that it will be successful.

Depression by severity

Depression does not manifest itself in a strong and dynamic way right away. Much more often it causes subtle, sometimes difficult to capture symptoms. As they gradually escalate, the division can also be made based on the symptoms of depression and how intense the stages are.

Stage one – mild depression – the patient’s mood is depressed most of the time, accompanied by fatigue, discouragement and apathy. They do not arise from a specific situation, but occur frequently and persist over time. Masked depression may also appear at this stage, i.e. a condition accompanied by psychosomatic symptoms, e.g. pain sensation in different parts of the body.
Stage two – moderate depression – here already bad mood accompanies a person all the time. The sick person does not feel joy in life, he is indifferent to what has been important to him so far (hobby, work, family). It functions worse in society, so he prefers to separate from other people, seeks loneliness.
Stage three – severe depression – due to persistent indifference, fatigue and apathy, the patient is unable to function normally or perform daily basic activities. In addition, there are often delusions, motor inhibition, suspicion towards others, searching for diseases, and even suicidal thoughts and attempts.

While it is impossible to miss stage two or three, stage two is often ignored. first. Even prolonged despondency can be explained to oneself and to others, so it is not surprising that the sick person avoids confrontation with reality. Here it is worth to be vigilant to people from the immediate surroundings – family and friends may not notice masked depression at first but they should not remain indifferent to the strange, inexplicable changes in the behavior of their friend or partner.

Depression in teens

You must know that the disease affects people of all ages. Unfortunately, recently there has been an increasing number of cases of depression in adolescents. This is alarming data that requires a deeper analysis, and first of all, greater vigilance on the part of parents and school educators.

Depression in adolescents is very often confused with a storm of hormones or other changes that occur in a young person’s body and mind as they mature. It is a difficult period associated with guarding one’s privacy, withdrawing in oneself and seeking support and friendship among peers, often at the cost of deteriorating contacts with parents. It is not always possible for caregivers to establish that their son or daughter’s changing mood is not a result of rebellion, but a symptom of depression .

As for the symptoms, they are very similar to the ones we mentioned above. A young person loses enthusiasm and interest in the world around him, has sleep and appetite disorders, falls into melancholy moods, is silent, tired, unable to concentrate, has problems with memory. In addition, there are often psychosomatic symptoms, such as headaches, abdominal pain, digestive upset or fainting.

Treating depression in adolescents usually involves psychotherapy and sometimes medications that alleviate symptoms and help you through the difficult times.

Depression in men

How is depression statistically different by gender? It turns out that the frequency of falling ill is lower in men, however depression in men manifests itself differently and has a slightly different course. It is also more difficult to diagnose due to:

cultural factors (bringing up the belief that “boys don’t cry”, that a man should be strong and not show weakness),
reluctance to show weakness, admit problems for fear of how they will be perceived and treated.

As for the “difference” of symptoms and the course of the disease itself, the most common differences are the way men react. Instead of closing in on themselves, experiencing sadness and plunging into apathy, they express their problems through outbursts of aggression, irritability and anger. This makes it difficult to diagnose anxiety depression , or rather the person is suspected of not being able to control their emotions.

Men can become depressed for the same reasons as women. Sometimes they are accompanied by bipolar disorder, other times a persistent depressed mood is the result of a breakup, divorce or professional failure. The most common causes of depression include genetic, psychological, and social and cultural factors. In the case of men who usually find it difficult to open up and seek help, stimulants, such as drugs, gambling and alcohol, turn out to be the most common escape. Suicide attempts occur more frequently in this group than in women.

In men, a popular condition is anxiety depression, a state in which feeling worse is also accompanied by fear and the fact that they will only lose their job or a loved one. Very often the reason is the fear of loneliness, which can be described as paralyzing, even preventing normal functioning, establishing relationships or entering into relationships. This is how the problem loops – the man with depression becomes lonely, because he has made this happen by avoiding contact with other people and cutting himself off from the outside world, by rejecting family members and friends.

Depression in women

Depression in women usually manifests itself as depressed mood, apathy, and tearfulness. The symptoms are different, but so are the behavior of the person who develops the disorder. In the case of women, they are even twice as likely to become ill than in men. Women suffering from postpartum depression constitute a large percentage of patients. Symptoms are increased tearfulness and anxiety, which are directly related to the hormonal storm accompanying the arrival of the baby. This condition, although considered normal, should end after about 2 weeks. You have to react if your relatives, people from the environment, notice that baby blues lasts longer and hinders normal functioning in the family.

Postnatal depression is not the only problem faced by women. Often the disease is the result of high social expectations, the need to perfectly reconcile several roles at the same time, and also the result of being a victim of physical, mental or economic violence. Sometimes depression is a ‘side effect’ of any contraceptive or fertility medications you are taking. That is why a multi-pronged approach and diagnosis on several levels is so important in diagnosing a disease. Only then will it be possible to get a clear picture of the whole situation.

Women are by nature more expressive, open to conversation and seeking help. No wonder that they receive the help they need faster because they are not afraid to ask for it (but not always). In women, depressive periods are strongly associated with the periods of life in which they are located. Hence teenage depression, postpartum depression or depression manifested in the period of menopause. Behind many mood drops are hormonal changes that are difficult to control without drugs.

How to help depression? – Diagnosing and treating depression

Depression anxiety, masked, breakup or postpartum… there are many types of disorders that vary depending on what caused them, age, gender and personal circumstances. Sometimes it is genetics that determines whether a person is likely to fall into sustained or recurring depressive moods, and other times it is social or cultural. The traumatic events in life should not be underestimated – sometimes it is a divorce, death of a loved one, company bankruptcy, participation in a road accident.

It is very important to get an appropriate diagnosis in the treatment of depression. First of all, it is necessary to exclude neurological or other diseases that may cause apathy, memory and concentration disorders, sleep problems, headaches, stomachaches, tantrums. If the patient is healthy in body, it may turn out that the source of the problem is in his psyche.

The symptoms of depression can be mild at first and are not clear cut. However, this should not let the person or their relatives – family and friends – be alert. Any disturbing changes in behavior should be consulted immediately and confronted with them. The diagnosis of depression in adolescents, as well as in adults, and especially in mothers with postpartum depression, requires consultation with a specialist. On the basis of the described symptoms, the history of the disease and the patient’s interview, the psychologist is able to determine what is the cause of the disorder, what its type is and, finally, what method of therapeutic and / or pharmacological treatment to implement to help him.