What Are the Different Types of Depression, and How Are They Treated?

Depression is a type of mood disorder that leads to a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest in everyday activities. Also known as major depressive disorder (MDD) or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think, and behave, and it may cause a range of emotional and physical problems.

At Sidhu Psychiatric Clinic in Palm Harbor, Florida, board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner Kanwaljit “Kavi” Sidhu, NP-C, PMHNP-BC, and our staff diagnose and treat many different forms of depression.

So that you’ll know when to seek out help, we’re taking this opportunity to talk about a number of different forms of depression and how they’re treated.

What are the symptoms of depression?

Depression comes with emotional, mental, and physical symptoms, though the specifics vary from person to person. Among the most common are:

Feeling sad or hopeless
Feeling detached from others
Lack of interest in hobbies or work
Fatigue
Difficulty sleeping
Loss of appetite or eating for comfort
Anxiety
Difficulty focusing
Unexplained headaches or back pain
Catastrophizing
Thoughts of suicide or death

Symptoms can be mild, moderate, or severe. They may come and go in some people and be persistently present in others. Depression is treatable, however, so you should seek help as soon as you recognize you have a problem.

What are the different types of depression?

There are different types of depression, with variations around duration and when the symptoms occur.

Major depressive disorder

MDD is the most common type of depression. With this type, people experience symptoms for at least two weeks without relief. For some people, the symptoms come and go, with each new presentation called a recurrent episode.

Persistent depressive disorder (chronic depression)

Chronic depression is a long-lasting form of the disorder, in which symptoms last for more than two years and may be as severe as in an MDD episode. In this type, the patient doesn’t experience multiple episodes, and there are no periods of relief.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)

This type of depression is triggered by the lack of adequate sunlight in the dark autumn and winter months. Symptoms last throughout the colder months, then usually disappear when spring rolls around.

Postpartum depression

Many mothers experience what’s known as the “baby blues” following the birth of their child. Usually lasting only a week or two, they experience a depressed mood and mood swings.

In some cases, this short-term mood shift digs in deeper, becoming what’s known as postpartum depression, where symptoms are much the same as those with MDD.

Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder is characterized by wild mood swings, from euphoric highs to abysmal lows. The low points are characterized by most of the same symptoms as MDD and other forms of clinical depression.

Treating depression

Depression is usually treated with a combination of psychotherapy (talk therapy) and antidepressant medication, of which the biggest class is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These medications work on boosting levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which is known to play a role in mood regulation.

Medication, though, may take a while to work; you generally need to give a drug 6-8 weeks before you know if it’s helping. If it doesn’t, Kavi prescribes a different antidepressant to see if it will be more helpful, and you have to wait another 6-8 weeks to see if it works.

Medication isn’t always effective. In fact, up to one-third of adults with MDD have what’s known as treatment-resistant depression (TRD), meaning they didn’t respond positively to at least two different antidepressants taken for the requisite period of time.

That’s why Sidhu Psychiatric also offers ketamine therapy. Ketamine is a powerful anesthetic that’s been repurposed into a mood-regulating drug. Spravato® is the FDA-approved nasal spray form of the drug, and it works by acting on the neurotransmitter glutamate, not serotonin. Glutamate is also implicated in mood regulation.

Studies have shown that even TRD patients using ketamine can see benefits from the drug within 24 hours of administration, and that the brain reinforces new neural connections, helping boost mood in its regulatory centers.

If you or a loved one is experiencing any type of depression, our team at Sidhu Psychiatric Clinic can help. Call our office at 727-382-1383 to schedule a consultation, or contact us online today.