The most common type of depression is Major Depressive Disorder or MDD. An individual diagnosed with MDD would have symptoms of depression most of the day, nearly every day, for two weeks straight. There are other types of depression too, like:
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
This type of depression usually emerges during specific seasons of the year, although it is most common during winters.
Postpartum Depression
This usually occurs post giving birth. Mothers may fear hurting their children or may not feel connected to their babies.
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
This type of depression is very rare, but severe, and shows up during the second half of the menstrual cycle.
Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia)
This is a chronic type of depression that usually lasts for very long times (two years or more) with mild symptoms of depression. You might feel like you’re living on “autopilot”.
Bipolar or Manic Depression
This is characterized by cycling between episodes of depression and mania (period of hyperactivity). The duration of each phase varies from person to person.
Atypical Depression
As the name suggests, this type of depression is atypical and not easy to diagnose. Individuals may see their mood improve after positive events.
Psychotic Depression
In this type of depression, people usually experience psychosis (delusions and hallucinations) along with depression. Delusions usually involve feelings of inadequacy or unwarranted guilt.
Levels of depression
Not only does depression vary by type, but it also varies by severity from person to person. Not everyone experiences the most severe levels of depression, with many going through mild and moderate depression. Intervention at the earlier stages prevents the intensity from increasing.
