Depressive disorders plague over 350 Million people all over the world. Despite it being an illness that affects many people, it still brings about an attitude where people are told to simply “get over it”. This shows the levels of ignorance that people are subjected to and in order to remove the stigma, you must first know what exactly depression is and what are the different types that exist. So here are some forms of depression which are identified.
One form of depression is major depressive disorder. This is a severe form of clinical depression where one loses interest in all of their usual interests and pleasure and the disorder goes on to effect all aspects of their life, work, relationships and interests. This form of depression can lead to alcohol and substance abuse as well in order to cope with the emotions they are feeling. The cause for this condition can be a many number of factors such as genetic or even social or professional pressures such as troubles at work on in relationships. Some of the treatments used to control this disorder are TMS therapy, appropriate psychotherapy or medications.
Another form of depression is prenatal or antenatal depressive disorder. This condition manifests in pregnant women either during their pregnancy during the months after childbirth. During the pregnancy or the immediate months after the birth, due to genetic factors or hormonal imbalances this condition can be triggered. There are varieties of perinatal depression such as postpartum depression and baby blues. The common symptoms are weeping or crying, irritability, lack of interest in the newborn or lack of concentration or forgetfulness. Treatments for this form of depression is restricted to a certain extent. While ECT and TMS therapy in Sydney is not a viable option, even medication depends on the contents of the drug. The most common treatment is psychotherapy and homeopathic treatments such as acupuncture and massage.
Another form of depression is seasonal affective disorder or SAD where the person’s disorder is triggered by a seasonal change, more commonly due to the winter season. Symptoms for this form of depression is fatigue, lack of interest, lethargy and irritability and for summer SAD, the known symptoms are agitation, lack of sleep and weight loss. The cause for this form is not yet clear but most believe that due to the higher number of cases of winter SAD, it has something to do with the extended winter nights and lack of sunshine. The treatments available for this are mostly talk therapy and forms of light therapy such as a dawn simulator, where a light on a timer mimics the sunrise to reset the body’s biological clock. There are a number of forms of depression, each having its own symptoms and treatments. The ones mentioned above are only a select few of the various forms diagnosed.
