Sage-Tips

What is the difference between typical and atypical depression?

Atypical depression is a type of depression that does not follow what was thought to be the “typical” presentation of the disorder. In general, people with atypical depression experience similar symptoms as those with major depressive disorder (MDD) but with one crucial difference: mood reactivity.

How many people are affected by atypical depression?

How common is atypical depression? Depression is quite prevalent, affecting approximately 121 million people worldwide. Despite its name, atypical depression is actually quite common affecting 18 to 36\% of people with a depressive disorder.

What is the definition of atypical depression?

However, atypical depression — also called depression with atypical features — means that your depressed mood can brighten in response to positive events. Other key symptoms include increased appetite, sleeping too much, feeling that your arms or legs are heavy, and feeling rejected.

Which symptom below is typical of depression?

Symptoms

• Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness.
• Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters.
• Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities, such as sex, hobbies or sports.
• Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much.

Does depression make your body weak?

Fatigue is a common symptom of depression. Occasionally we all experience lower energy levels and can feel sluggish in the morning, hoping to stay in bed and watch TV instead of going to work. While we often believe exhaustion stems from stress, depression can also cause fatigue.

What do atypical antidepressants do?

Atypical antidepressants ease depression by affecting chemical messengers (neurotransmitters) used to communicate between brain cells.

What are atypical features?

symptoms of a disorder other than the standard diagnostic criteria. For a major depressive episode or dysthymic disorder, for example, they would include hypersomnia or improvement of mood in response to positive events.

Is atypical depression a serious illness?

Like other types of depression, atypical depression is a serious illness that can cause major problems. Atypical depression can result in emotional, behavioral and health problems that affect every area of your life. For example, atypical depression can be associated with: Weight gain due to an increased appetite.

Is there such a thing as mild depression?

People throw around the word “depression” as if that word means only one thing. This is far from the case, therapeutically speaking. I would suggest there are mild, moderate or severe, relapsing/remitting or chronic depressions.

How often do people with major depression have an episode?

It’s fairly common — about 16.2 million adults in the U.S. have experienced at least one major depressive episode. People with major depression experience symptoms most of the day, every day. Like many mental health conditions, it has little to do with what’s happening around you.

What is persistent depression called?

Persistent depressive disorder. Formerly called “dysthymia,” this type of depression refers to low mood that has lasted for at least two years but may not reach the intensity of major depression. Many people with this type of depression type are able to function day to day, but feel low or joyless much of the time.