What Are The Major Types Of Depression
There are many types of depression caused by a variety of triggers, sometimes chemical and sometimes the result of traumatic life events.
These include:
Major depression: People with major depression have depressed moods most of the day for most days of the week.
Persistent Depressive Disorder: If a person has depression for 2 or more years, this is known as persistent depressive disorder. This type of depression has two subgroups called chronic major depression and dysthymia, or low-grade persistent depression.
Bipolar Disorder: Also known as manic depression, a person with bipolar disorder has extremes, ranging from states of low energy and/or mood to periods of high energy and/or mood. Also known as manic depression, bipolar disorder can be treated with mood stabilizer medication, such as Latuda, Seroquel, and Olanzapine-fluoxetine combo.
Seasonal Affective Disorder : A person who has seasonal affective disorder will often feel periods of major depression during winter. Because winter days are shorter than the rest of the year, a person receives less and less sunlight which can cause seasonal affective disorder. Antidepressants may be a great option for someone who has SAD.
Psychotic Depression: If a person has paranoia, hallucinations, and/or delusions during periods of major depression, they may be suffering from psychotic depression. This type of depression can be treated with antipsychotic drugs along with antidepressants.
What A Therapist Looks For
An evaluation with a mental health professional can give you more answers about your mental health, including a formal diagnosis.
To understand your symptoms and see whether theyre indicative of depression, a therapist will want to know how long your symptoms have lasted and how severely they impact your daily life. A major depressive episode must have lasted for at least two weeks for a therapist to make a diagnosis of a mental health condition.
To make an accurate and informed diagnosis, your therapist will also want to rule out other causes of your symptoms. They will likely ask you about:
- Grief from a recent loss
- Past or recent trauma, including physical or psychological abuse or injury
- Recent life changes, like pregnancy or divorce
- Substance abuse problems
- Your mental health history
How Do I Talk With These Health Professionals
The most effective way to take charge of your health is through shared decision-making, which means you and your doctor work together to make a treatment plan that works for you.
Some people prefer to be very involved in their care while others prefer less direct involvement. Your role may vary depending on the stage of your illness you’re at: whether you’ve been recently diagnosed or whether you have a lot of experience with your illness. Regardless of your preferred level of involvement, you do need to be involved in some way.
Depression can affect how you interact with your health professional. It can affect your memory and concentration. It’s helpful to look for ways to keep track of everything so you have the information when you need it. You could use apps on your phone to take daily notes, track changes in your mood, write down questions you’d like to ask at your next appointment, and set reminders so you don’t forget appointments. Some people carry a notebook with them. Online screening self-tests are another great tool: you can print out your screening results to bring to appointments. Some people also find it helpful to bring trusted family members or friends to appointments.
Defining the problem. Your role is explaining the problem in your own terms.
Setting goals. Deciding what the goals of treatment will be, or deciding what will happen as a result of treatment.
Step One: Defining the problem
Step Two: Setting goals
Step Three: Making decisions
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Finding The Right Kind Of Doctor For Your Depression
To make sure you find a doctor or therapist who will place you on the right track for depression management, use this checklist:
1. Choose someone who can provide the desired services.
2. Make sure that a strong relationship is felt.
3. Find out about the approach to therapy for the client.
4. Find a collaborative plan for your goals.
5. Look for someone who is going to challenge you.
6. Seeking someone with a direct approach to treatment.
7. Expect homework.
In this article, we listed out what kind of doctor do you see for depression.
What Is The Difference Between Unipolar And Bipolar
According to the American Psychiatric Associations diagnostic and statistical assessment manual , unipolar depression and bipolar disorder can have the similar symptoms – with three general differences.
However, not all clinicians agree. Clinical psychology reviews have found evidence suggesting the idea that unipolar depression and bipolar disorder are the same disorder.
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The Healing Power Of Yoga
Antidepressants take some time to reach their full potential, which is usually about 4 to 6 weeks. A patient needs to give informed, verbal consent that they understand this type of medication wont operate like an antibiotic, Dr. Garbely states. Fortunately, the benefits of therapy are more immediate.
Why A Mental Health Professional Is Best
It’s very importantespecially if this is your first time seeking treatment for depressionthat you obtain a referral to a psychiatrist or other mental health professional if your general practitioner suspects depression.
Though your family doctor or general practitioner may offer to prescribe you an antidepressant, they are not always the best-qualified doctor to treat depression. They do not possess the training to offer you psychotherapy nor are they experienced in the nuances of prescribing psychotropic medications the way that a psychiatrist is.
Psychiatry is a blend of art and science. Treating depression is not quite as simple as giving someone a prescription for Zoloft or Prozac and sending them on their way. Some individuals will need several trials of different medications to find one that best relieves their symptoms with the least amount of side effects.
Some people will need more than one medication to counteract side effects or to boost positive effects. Most will likely benefit from adding psychotherapy to the mix. Discussing options with your psychiatrist will determine the best path.
Depression Discussion Guide
Besides the medication specifics, you may have a completely different mental health condition and not depression. Bipolar disorder is one such disorder that may be initially misdiagnosed as depression but requires a very different course of treatment.
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Therapy And The Big Picture In Depression Treatment
One of the hallmarks of depression is feeling overwhelmed and having trouble focusing. Therapy helps you step back and see what might be contributing to your depression and how you can make changes. Here are some of the big picture themes that therapy can help with:
Relationships.Understanding the patterns of your relationships, building better relationships, and improving current relationships will help reduce isolation and build social support, important in preventing depression.
Setting healthy boundaries. If you are stressed and overwhelmed, and feel like you just can’t say no, you are more at risk for depression. Setting healthy boundaries in relationships and at work can help relieve stress, and therapy can help you identify and validate the boundaries that are right for you.
Handling life’s problems. Talking with a trusted therapist can provide good feedback on more positive ways to handle life’s challenges and problems.
You Have Little Or No Energy Most Of The Time
When youre struggling psychologically, your body feels it, too. Depression can drain your energy quickly, and you might find yourself feeling fatigued on most days. Moving slowly, forgoing exercise and longing just to lie down are all common with depression.
You might lack the energy to upkeep your household or care for children or pets, and even small tasks like showering can feel like insurmountable chores.
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How A Primary Care Provider Can Help
Many primary care offices have begun to embed a social worker or behavioral health manager as part of the care team. In this way, mental health care can be conveniently managed at the primary care office. The social worker or behavioral health manager can meet with you in a phone call or in a video chat between appointments with your primary care provider.
As part of your primary care team, a social worker or behavioral health manager will discuss your symptoms, history and treatment and work with you to address your mental health needs, as well as provide brief therapy and education. The social worker works with your primary care provider to develop the best plan for your mental health care and consult with a psychiatrist who can guide your care to ensure high-quality treatment or connect you with other mental health specialists.
For many patients, a prescription for antidepressants and follow-up visits may be all they will need. A primary care provider can choose from several antidepressants to safely prescribe to their patients follow up visits with a primary care provider tend to be much shorter than a therapy session with a psychiatrist.
If you do not show improvement after a few months, your primary care provider may decide to change your medication or might recommend starting psychotherapy if it wasnt part of the initial plan.
Your primary care provider also can help to find a psychotherapist, though a referral usually isnt needed.
Path To Improved Health
Sometimes it can be hard to start a conversation with your doctor about your mental health. Here are some tips that can help you before, during, and after your appointment.
Before your appointment:
- Your symptoms. These could be physical, mental, emotional, or behavioral changes that youve noticed in your life.
- How your mood affects your everyday life.
- Key personal information, such as traumatic events in your past, or current stressful situations you are facing.
- Your medical information, such as other physical or mental conditions you currently have. Also write down all medicines you are taking, including over-the-counter medicine and herbal supplements.
- Questions you want to ask your doctor.
During your appointment:
After your appointment
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See Your Primary Care Doctor
If you suspect you may have depression, your first visit should be to your family doctor or primary care physician for a thorough checkup. While most doctors do screen for depression, it’s best to tell your doctor your concerns about your mood. Your doctor is there to help you, so don’t hold back.
Preparing For A Health Appointment
Talking to health professionals may be intimidating, but you and your health professional do need to work together. Remember, your doctor can’t provide the best information if they don’t know what the problem is, and they can’t offer the best-suited treatment options if they dont know your goals or concerns. Here is a checklist to help keep you on track during your appointments.
Before the appointment
PlanThink of what you want to tell your doctor or what you want to learn from your health professional at this appointment. Decide what is the most important to you. If you have particular questions, write them down. You can bring your list to the appointment. If you take any medication, including over-the-counter medication, plan to bring it with you.
During the appointment
ReportTell your doctor what you want to talk about during this appointment
Exchange informationMake sure you tell the doctor whats wrong. It may be helpful to bring in a self-test youve completed or a diary of symptoms. Remember to explain how your problem affects your day-to-day life. You can bring a loved one with you, and they can help describe changes theyve noticed.
ParticipateTalk with your doctor about the different ways to handle your health problem. Make sure you understand the positive and negative features of your choices. Ask as many questions as you need.
AgreeBe sure that you and your doctor agree on a treatment plan that you can live with.
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What Is The Most Common Cause Of Depression
Depression can be caused by any number of things, from genetic makeup to traumatic events or medical illnesses. Depression isn’t always caused by just one thing it often results from the interplay between multiple factors.
Your mood and the way you see reality are controlled by a complex system of chemicals. There could be as many chemical reactions in charge of regulating your mood as there are people on the planet. There is not just one chemical that is high or low when you have depression.
Though your chemical makeup is complex, there has been a lot of research to develop medications such as antidepressants and mood stabilizers to help regulate these chemicals.
Some causes linked to depression and chemical makeup include:
Hyperthyroidism: People who suffer from this have an overactive thyroid, which is a butterfly-shaped gland in your throat that helps release hormones. In the Journal of Thyroid Research, it is estimated that up to 69% of people who have hyperthyroidism also have clinical depression.
Hypothyroidism: This is a medical condition of having an underactive thyroid. When a thyroid isnt as active as it should be, it does not produce the normal amount of thyroid hormones into your central nervous system, which can cause a person to gain weight and feel tired, which are both symptoms of depression.
Primary Care Physician Vs Psychiatrist
Both primary care physicians and psychiatrists are medical professionals who are licensed to prescribe antidepressant medications.
But not all patients understand the differences between these two types of doctors:
- Primary Care Physician: Primary care physicians, also known as general practitioners , are trained in comprehensive, acute, and continuing care. They are skilled in diagnosing and treating a wide range of illnesses and conditions, but also regularly collaborate with other specialists to offer patients the best care possible. In many cases, a primary care physician acts as a patients first point of contact to receiving health care.
- Psychiatrist: A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in mental health. Psychiatrists can treat acute issues, such as panic attacks or suicidal ideation, but they can also offer ongoing care for patients with more chronic conditions. Because of their medical training, psychiatrists can interpret the relationship between emotional and physical illnesses to offer customized treatment plans to their patients, including prescription medication.
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Do Antidepressants Have Any Long
Psychologists recommend that patients stay on the medication for six months to a year after feeling better. You should check on your response after three weeks and between three and six months.
Despite the potential for side effects of antidepressants, there are no well-known side effects on long-term usage.
In essence, you should discuss with your doctor when you want to stop antidepressants. This is a clinical decision that depends on the severity and length of your depression.
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Our psychologists and psychiatrists have an average 15 years of experience. They are clinical experts in a variety of different specialties, such as depression.
We make it easy for you to browse and learn about our providers so you can find the perfect match. Each of our providers will work with you to set a plan and help you achieve the goals most important to you.
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You’re Preoccupied With Thoughts Of Death
Persistent thoughts about ending your life, wondering how friends and family would feel if you went and did it, pondering different ways to carry out the act, and even general thoughts about death are all strong indicators that it’s time to reach out to professional help, said Wolkin.
“Because these thoughts pose such a direct threat to your life, it’s important to seek help even if you don’t recognize any other symptoms of depression in yourself,” Wolkin told Health.
If you or someone you know is having thoughts about hurting themselves or attempting suicide’ please seek immediate help. The following resources, as suggested by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , can help:
- Call 1800273TALK to reach a 24hour crisis center or dial. 911. 1800273TALK is the National Suicide Prevention Lifelineexternal icon, which provides free’ confidential help to people in crisis. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration runs this lifeline.
- Get help from a healthcare provider.
- Reach out to a close friend or loved one.
- Contact a minister, spiritual leader, or someone else in your faith community.
What Are The Symptoms Of Depression
Depressive episodes can sometimes be one-time events but are more often recurring experiences. If you have depression, you may experience one of the following:- Emotions like sadness, worthlessness, anguish, frustration, emptiness, anger, anxiety, restlessness, hopelessness, self-blame, guilt, irritability, anger, or low self-esteem.- Brain Fog, or fuzzy thinking, difficulty thinking, focusing, remembering, or making decisions.- Lethargy, sleeping too much, or insomnia.- Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches.- A lack of interest in performing normal tasks, including things you may normally enjoy doing like physical activities or hobbies.- Weight gain, weight loss, increased appetite, reduced or a loss of appetite.- Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, or suicide attempts.
If you are worried about your safety or the safety of others, please dial 911.
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