Classification of Depressive Disorders

Classification of different forms of depressive conditions such as Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Seasonal Affective Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Postnatal Depression, Dysthymia, and Cyclothymia.

Its key signs and symptoms can include sad mood, desolate self-esteem, gloom, particularly in activities that were previously enjoyed, decreased socialization, eating and sleeping habits, and also feelings of self-hopelessness and worthlessness.

Side effects of MDD, if not managed on time, including losing one’s career, failing marriages, total behavioral improvements, disastrous, powerless, and suicidal emotions. Bipolar disorder is also referred to as bipolar and is an extreme mental disorder that commonly develops as periods of very intense euphoria or mania.

Outline

Classification of Depressive Disorders

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Thesis: Classification of various types of depressive disorders such as; Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Seasonal Affective Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Postnatal Depression, Dysthymia, and Cyclothymia.

II. MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER

A. Its main signs and symptoms may include sad mood, desolate self-esteem, gloominess especially in activities that were previously liked, reduced socializing, eating and sleeping habits, and even feelings of self-hopelessness and worthlessness.

B. Side effects of MDD if not treated in time includes, losing one’s job, failed relationships, complete changes in individual behavior, disastrous, helpless and hopeless feelings.

III. BIPOLAR DISORDER

A. Bipolar disorder is also referred to as bipolar and is an extreme mental disorder which commonly develops as periods of very intense euphoria or mania.

B. Its symptoms also consist of increased impulsivity, thoughts, and abnormal increase in talking behavior while the complications include paranoia or delirium.

C. The main goal treatment for bipolar patients is to try to have minimized mood swings and all the other symptoms so as to live functional and relatively productive lives.

IV. THE SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER (SAD)

A. SAD is also called winter depression because its symptoms are seasonally experienced.

B. The SAD symptoms include reduced interest or pleasure in day to day activities, a persistent irritability and depressed moods, feelings a lot of despair, guilt and even worthlessness.

C. Sunlight is required by the body to help control the various essential functions, like the time one wakes up; therefore, weak winter sunlight may affect one’s body clock and bring about the SAD symptoms.

V. CONCLUSION

B. In summary, different types of depressive disorders require close monitoring of the affected persons as the primary form of treatment.

Classification of Depressive Disorders

Introduction

Depressive disorder affects one’s thoughts, moods, and body. It involves a person’s eating, sleeping, his feelings and thinking about one’s self and other things. Individuals affected by a depressive illness can merely “work regularly on their day to day activities” and make recoveries from the disorder. If not subjected to proper medication or treatment, the symptoms might persist for short or long even up to more than a year. When the illness is subjected to early and appropriate diagnosis, however, can be of help to quit many the patients (Cowen, pp. 10). Examples of depressive illness consist of, Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Seasonal Affective Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Postnatal Depression, Dysthymia, and Cyclothymia.

Major Depressive Disorder

Major depressive disorder is evident by major depression episodes. Its main signs and symptoms include sad mood, desolate self-esteem, gloominess especially in activities that were previously liked, reduced socializing, eating and sleeping habits, and even feelings of self-hopelessness and worthlessness. MDD complications are secondary conditions or other diseases that are caused by it which may consist of reduced performances at work or in school and even problems with one’s relationship. Side effects of MDD if not treated in time includes, losing one’s job, failed relationships, complete changes in individual behavior, disastrous, helpless and hopeless feelings. Also, includes extreme negative patterns in one’s feelings and thinking, Socio-environment influences the illness by between 60-80% of the period, Marital issues mostly in women may also cause their depression since women value so many intimate relationships as compared to men who may easily opt out of the troubled relationships and parental styles.

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder develops as periods of very intense euphoria or mania, which alternates with depressive episodes. Bipolar is classified as a mood disorder, which severely interferes with a person’s behavior and the ability to efficiently perform everyday activities. Although its primary cause is not yet known, it is believed that there is a genetic link to its cause whereby the affected have a close relative with the same disorder. It may also be related to a chemical imbalance in one’s brain and or deficiency of the related hormones, self-deprivation of sleep, use of antidepressant drugs and hypothyroidism (Goodwin & Jamison, pg. 15). Its symptoms also consist of increased impulsivity, thoughts, and abnormal increase in talking behavior while the complications include paranoia or delirium. The main goal treatment for bipolar patients is to try to have minimized mood swings and all the other symptoms so as to live functional and relatively productive lives as bipolar disorder has no known treatment and its goal treatment above should be life-term so as to control the symptoms effectively.

The Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

SAD is also called winter depression because its symptoms are seasonally experienced mainly during in winters and autumns while the improvements seen in the spring and summer seasons. The SAD symptoms include reduced interest or pleasure in day to day activities, a persistent irritability and depressed moods, feelings a lot of despair, guilt and even worthlessness. The affected persons may also feel lethargic in energy, sleeping problems both at night and daytime which way either be reduced or prolonged, desired carbohydrates and even weight gaining. Sunlight is required by the body to help control the various essential functions, like the time one wakes up; therefore, weak winter sunlight may affect one’s body clock and bring about the SAD symptoms.

Conclusion

In summary, different types of depressive disorders require close monitoring of the affected persons as the primary form of treatment. This is because all are mostly caused by one experiencing a stressful period in life and or lack of enough sleep. In case the symptoms are considered to be persistent or severe then lifestyle measures, light therapy, and talking therapies are some of the known treatments.

Works Cited

Cowen, P. J. (2012). Classification of depressive disorders. In Behavioral Neurobiology of Depression and Its Treatment (pp. 3-13). Springer Berlin Heidelberg.

Goodwin, F. K., & Jamison, K. R. (2007). Manic-depressive illness: bipolar disorders and recurrent depression (Vol. 1). Oxford University Press.