Different types of depression

Major depression

• Major depression includes symptoms of depression most of the time for at least 2 weeks that typically interfere with one’s ability to work, sleep, study, and eat.

Persistent depressive disorder

• Persistent depressive disorder (also called dysthymia) is a continuous long-term (chronic) form of depression. You may lose interest in normal daily activities, feel hopeless, lack productivity, and have low self-esteem and an overall feeling of inadequacy. These feelings last for years and may significantly interfere with your relationships, school, work, and daily activities. What makes PDD different from major depressive disorder is PDD symptoms last for at least 2 years, in adults, while people with MDD experience depressive episodes that are separated by at least 2 months.

Perinatal depression

• Perinatal depression is a mood disorder that can affect women during pregnancy and after childbirth (postpartum depression). The word “perinatal” refers to the time before and after the birth of a child. Mothers with perinatal depression experience feelings of extreme sadness, anxiety, and fatigue that may make it difficult for them to carry out daily tasks, including caring for themselves or others.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)

• SAD comes and goes with the seasons, typically starting in late fall and early winter and going away during spring and summer.

Depression with symptoms of psychosis

• This is a severe form of depression where a person experiences psychosis symptoms, such as delusions (disturbing, false fixed beliefs) or hallucinations (hearing or seeing things that others do not see or hear).

If you believe you have depression and would like to make an appointment, call A Ray of Hope: Great Lakes Institute of Neurology and Psychiatry, at 847-268-3908 or make an appointment online today, for expert, multidisciplinary treatment for depression.