Depression is more than simply feeling unhappy or fed up, it is a common mental disorder and causes people to have depressed mood, disturbed sleep, loss of appetite, low energy and poor concentration, it is different from feeling sad. The person will experience intense emotions of anxiety and hopelessness, it can happen as a result of a physical illness, unemployment, bereavement, family problems or other life changing events. Chronic illness linked to depression include heart disease, back pain and cancer. Sometimes there is a trigger for depression but sometimes there is no clear reason. If you experience any of the above symptoms for two weeks or more seek medical help, often people do not realize that there are many types of depression. Below is a list of some of the depressions you can get.
Major Depression
This type of depression is diagnosed when the symptoms are felt for most of the day for more than two weeks, patients may have trouble concentrating, have weight loss, and have no energy to do normal activities. Medication or therapy may help.
Recurrent depression
If you have had at least two depressive episodes your doctor may say you have recurrent depression.
Reactive Depression
This is often triggered by a stressful event, e.g. a bereavement or break up of a relationship. It can be treated with medication or therapy.
Psychotic depression
Patients may get hallucinations or delusions and may hear voices you may think someone is trying to poison you.
Bipolar Affective Disorder
Patients experience extreme mood swings, which vary from feeling really high and full of energy or really low. Symptoms include agitation, restless, difficulty concentrating thoughts of suicide. Bipolar is a severe mental illness and can be treated with medication, therapy and in some cases patients require a hospital admission.
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
Mood swings are normally experienced at the onset of a period. Symptoms include fatigue, anxiety, and feeling of being overwhelmed.
Treatment can be antidepressants, or the oral contraceptive can help balance the hormones.
Postpartum Depression
This type of depression can have serious affects women often cannot bond with their child or do not want the child. They can experience severe mood swings and psychoses.
Seasonal Affective disorder (SAD)
In the winter months some people become depressed they sleep more and eat more carbohydrates. Their mood is low and they have no energy. This can be treated with medication and some people have light therapy, where they use lamps to lift their mood.
Organizations that can help
www.bacp.cc.uk for women who have postpartum depression
www.samaritians.org helpline 24 hours per day 0845 7 90 90
www.sane.org.uk 0300 304 7000 Helpline open 10.30 until 1pm weekdays.
www.cruse.org.uk for people who have experienced grief.
www.Bipolar.uk.org for people who have bipolar.
Claudette is a passionate campaigner and activist for mental health stigma and domestic abuse. She believes that everyone should be treated equally regardless of their disability or gender. She has diagnoses of Bipolar Disorder, endometriosis, Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia. Claudette has a certificate in Management studies. Her interests include beauty, makeup, animal’s politics, current affairs and social networking.
Defying Shadows 
A concise and clear, well written blog. Well done Claudette.
This blog is both informative and helpful for anyone going through depression from mild to severe it is crucial that they know help is out there. I take my hat off to Claudette dorey for her brilliant blogs on subjects that matter.