Types of Depressive Disorders

Depressive disorders are characterized by a prolonged periods of depression or sadness along with complete withdrawal from normal life activities. Depressive disorders can be categorized into several types or disorders including:

* Mood Disorders

* Catatonic Depression

* Atypical Depression

* Psychotic Depression

* Recurrent Brief Depression

Mood disorder is characterized by severe or deep disturbance in psychological or emotional states which results in a complete change in personality. Such disorder can manifest itself in extreme behavioral changes from mania to depression. Therefore mood disorder is further subdivided into two categories on the basis of two extreme behavioral manifestation involved in mood disturbance.

* Unipolar Disorder          

* Bipolar Disorder   

Unipolar Disorder

Unipolar disorder is also known as depressive disorder, major depressive disorder, unipolar depression and major depression etc. This kind of mood disorder shows lower end of behavioral spectrum involving with no manic activity at all. Unipolar disorder is characterized by the loss of interest in normal life activities, passive reaction towards changes of happenings in the surrounding environment, indecisiveness, appetite loss, restlessness, lack of pleasure and concentration etc.

People suffering from unipolar disorder are more prone to commit suicide with a severe feeling of worthlessness deeply rooted in their thinking and thoughts. Another reason behind such life threatening thoughts is continuous and excessive guilt about something never happened.               

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme mood swings from excitement or elation to deep depression with no apparent cause at all. It is also called manic depression. Patients suffering from bipolar disorder often manifest excitements, over-reaction, poor judgment, baseless argumentative behavior, senseless jokes, unrealistic thoughts and switching between entirely different topics or issues abruptly. With alternative periods of depression and mania this psychological disturbance can lasts for several days to several months period.           

Catatonic Depression

Catatonic Depression is another form of severe depression which usually affects over the motor abilities of a patient. It caused lack of control over normal body balance and results in bizarre body movements sometimes coupled with long periods of total immobility.       

Atypical Depression

Atypical Depression is characterized by increased appetite along with gradual weight gain. Patient usually sleeps for long periods of time which results in creating heaviness in his limbs. Such severe tendencies in eating and sleeping habits cause extra or excessive weight gain. People suffering from atypical depression often exhibit hypersensitivity or over reaction for being rejected by someone. All such psychological and emotional distortion finally leads to disturbed social life with poor impact over personal relations.

Psychotic Depression

Psychotic Depression is characterized by various types of delusions or hallucinations which involves melancholic behavior with a loss of pleasure and interest in normal life activities. Such patients often experience severe feelings of guilt or grief which results in poor appetite level and rapid weight loss.                 

Recurrent Brief Depression

Recurrent Brief Depression is different from other types of depressive disorders in its manifestation and time period. As the name indicates it occurs again and again almost every month and lasts for 2 to 3 days. In rest of the days usually no severe problem occurs in patients suffering from this type of depressive disorder.