Different Types of Depression Part 1 of 3

Chronic depression is also called dysthymia. Chronic depression is, as the name implies, a type of depression that lasts for a long time. Usually, chronic depression goes on for at least two years, sometimes longer. Unlike some of the other intense depressions, chronic depression isn't debilitating.

It will still have an impact on the daily life of someone that has it but it won't interfere too much with a person's ability to function. Think of this type of depression as a long, slow simmering of symptoms, a dull ache but not a sharp pain.

Scientific research has linked chronic depression with chemical imbalances and hormonal changes that happen to people throughout their lives.

People who have low serotonin levels in their brains are more likely to have Chronic Depression than people with normal serotonin levels. Serotonin is the chemical that your body produces during times of stress to help you deal with traumatic events.

Chronic Depression can also sometimes be caused by an underlying illness like hypothyroidism or any disorder that disrupts the body's chemistry and causes some chemical or hormonal imbalances that reduce Serotonin levels and raise Cortisol levels.

People that have Chronic Depression can still hold a job, take care of a family, and do all the things that they normally do without seeming as if they are depressed although they might seem more unhappy than most people. Even without having severe symptoms that person will still be suffering from the symptoms associated with depression like feeling worthless, being unable to concentrate for very long, feeling sad and anxious or hopeless.

The first symptoms of Chronic Depression can appear as early as late childhood in some people.

Girls are statistically more likely to suffer from Chronic Depression than boys, especially as the stresses and worries of puberty set in.

Women are much more likely than men to have problems with Chronic Depression.

Figures show that as many as 25% of all women have suffered from Chronic Depression at some point during their lives.

The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that more than 10 million per year suffer from Chronic Depression.

Because Chronic Depression isn't severe enough to limit a person's activity there are most likely millions more cases that go undiagnosed each year because the people suffering from it don't recognize the symptoms and don't realize they have Chronic Depression.

Major Depression

Major depression is also called clinical depression. Estimates are that one in ten people are suffering from major depression at any given time. Doctors and health experts say that as many as 30% of the population will experience at least one episode of major depression during their lifetimes.

Major Depression is different from other types of depression because of the intensity of the negative feelings that someone experiencing it has. People that suffer from major depression report feeling very strong feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, sadness, and anxiety for most of the day every day during a period of major depression. A period of major depression can last anywhere from a week to years, depending on the person.

Major depression is often caused by a triggering event. The loss of a loved one or family member, childhood abuse, a major change in life circumstances like changing jobs or moving to another place, or surviving a natural disaster like a flood or hurricane can all be triggers of major depression. Also, experts say that children of parents who suffer from major depression are more likely than other children to suffer at least one episode of major depression. Once you have had an episode of Major Depression you are a high risk to have another whenever another trigger presents itself. That doesn't mean you will necessarily have one, but it is a good idea to pay close attention.

Even though major depression develops as the result of a triggering factor there is a physiological change in the body that causes prolonged depression. This makes the person more likely to suffer from another major depression later on. So far at least, science doesn't know how exactly the physical component of major depression and the mental component of major depression intersect, but medical science does admit that clinical depression has both physical and mental components.

Major depression can be treated but not eliminated. Once you have had a bout of major depression it's important to stay on guard and watch for any triggers that might cause you to have another episode of Major Depression. If you are aware of the triggers that can touch off your depression you will be able to take the extra steps that you need to take in order to fight off depression when a triggering event, like the death of a loved one or the loss of a job happens.

Major depression is not a sentence to a life of misery. People who suffer from major depression can still learn how to handle and treat the symptoms and have a productive life. It is like any other disease that can be managed.