Clinical depression is a rather expansive term that can include several different types of depressions. The most common type is major depression. Not all types of clinically diagnosed depression are as severe as major depression, however, although many of the symptoms are shared.
Major Depressive Disorder
Major depressive disorder might be termed the generic clinical depression despite the fact that it has certain features not shared with other types. For instance, major depressive disorder most commonly affects adults under the age of 45. The symptoms include sadness, feelings of worthlessness, lack of appetite, and paranoia and delusions. Major depression tends to be episodic, with the average length lasting of nine months.
Bipolar Disorder
What used to be known as manic depression is today known as bipolar disorder. The underlying characteristic of this type of clinical depression is that the patient experiences mood swings. In other words, period of deep sadness and a general unhappiness can swiftly transform into a manic exuberance that would make most people question a diagnosis having to do with depression. Nevertheless, the manic portion of the mood swing is an integral part of this type of clinical depression.
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Many people get depressed at the onset of fall and winter, but an equal number of people get sad and depressed as spring and summer approaches. This is known as season affective disorder and actually affects as much as five percent of the U.S. population. Despite the fact that people suddenly express symptoms similar to major depressive disorder with the arrival of certain parts of the year, the actual cause of this type of depression remains a mystery, although some research indicates it may be genetic in nature.
Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression is a singular example of clinical depression: it occurs only in women who have given birth recently. There are three different levels of postpartum depression, ranging from mild cases that usually go away within two weeks to postpartum psychosis that can be so severe the sufferers actually become unable to distinguish between reality and fantasy. Postpartum depression is currently believed to be the result of the multitude of hormonal changes that women go through during pregnancy.
Dysthymic Disorder
Dysthymic disorder is one of the mildest forms of clinical depression, although the full list of symptoms is not a great deal different from major depressive disorder. Although the symptoms may not be severe, episodes of dysthymic disorder can last for several years without interruption. Some people suffering from this type of clinical depression experience it intermittently, although the period in which they are not depressed usually lasts no longer than two or three months, often no more than two or three weeks.
Substance Induced Mood Disorder
This type of clinical depression occurs when someone has been taking a drug or has stopped taking that drug for several days. When the action of either taking or going through withdrawal produces mood changes, manic behavior, or symptoms commonly associated with depression, it could be related to substance induced mood disorder. Since there are a multitude of medications that produce depression, it is important to examine the patient to determine whether the depression is caused by the drugs or other factors.
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder is a quite serious disorder affecting an estimated five to eight percent of women. This type of clinical depression is not interchangeable with premenstrual syndrome, but is considered a very severe form of PMS. The onset of premenstrual dysphoric disorder typically occurs a week before menstruation and usually ends just a few days after it begins. The symptoms are the typical symptoms associated with major depressive disorder, but the severity can be so great as to be utterly debilitating for several days.
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