Types Of Depression  

Depression is quite a common occurrence during teenage and adolescence. However, an important fact that teens and parents do not understand is that there are various types of depression in teens and that it is important to address the problem of depression in teens are immediately as possible.  

Teenage and adolescence is associated with a variety of feelings, moods and emotions. All these are associated with depression and can unsettle teenagers emotionally, psychologically, and physically.  One in every four women and one in six men tend to experience bouts of depression at least once in their lives.  In teens, the number rises to as high as 1 in 8.  

As like any other illness, teenage depression is a complicated health condition that appears in different forms. Some of these common types of depression occurring in teens are explained below.  

Major Depression:  

Also known as clinical depression or unipolar depression, major depression is a type of depressive disorder that occurs quite frequently in teenagers. This form of chronic depression is best characterized by symptoms such as excessive irritability, indifferent mood states, sudden weight loss and increased episodes of sadness. Major depression is one of the most common forms of depression where an individual feels extremely hopeless about his/her life and seems to be disinterested with almost every aspect of life. Causes of major depression include stressful events such as death or a broken relationship and hormonal changes that occur in teenage women during menstruation, pregnancy or puberty, and emotional disturbances such as miscarriage and stress. Persons suffering with this condition may resort to excessive alcohol and drug abuse. In addition, they might even experience preoccupations with death and suicide.  

Dysthymia:  

Another common type of teenage depression is Dysthymia.  It is a mild form of depression that exists for in young adults for a prolonged duration. Symptoms of Dysthymia include decreased appetite, unusual weight loss, fatigue, low self-esteem and troubled sleep. Persons suffering with this condition tend to feel hopeless and lose interest in almost every aspect of life. These kids even find it difficult to concentrate. Consultation with a professional can help with recovery from Dysthymia.  

Bipolar Disorder:  

Better known as manic disorder or complex mood disorder, bipolar disorder is a unique form of teenage depression that is characterized by intermittent cycles of mania and depression. As per the available statistics, at least 1-3% of cases related to depression belong to the category of bipolar disorder. In this type of depression, teenagers experience mood shifts that extend from periods of sadness and hopelessness to episodes of extreme irritation and anger. Manic depression is also a form of chronic depression that includes periods of excitement, delusions and other types of extreme emotions or feelings such as violence. In cases where the individual is suffering from bipolar disorder, it is important to get the condition treated by a certified professional.  

Apart from these types of depression, there are also other types of depression that include Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Depression can also be classified depending on their symptoms, prevalence and severity. Some examples include Catatonic depression, Anxiety depression, Agitated depression, neurotic depression, double depression, melancholic depression, single-episode depression and recurrent episode depression.