Depression - what are the symptoms? Types of depression

 Depression is a disease that affects various social groups, regardless of age and gender. Of course, the tendency to become depressed depends on various factors, both genetic and environmental, as well as personality. It is worth knowing that depression is not a short-term sadness and depression that lasts several days, but a serious illness that needs to be treated.

Depression is a medical condition where you feel unwell for a long time that is not necessarily caused by specific events. Depression cannot be equated with momentary despondency or grief after the loss of a loved one. Unfortunately, depression interferes with everyday functioning, and causes excessive sadness, discouragement, and a sense of doom to failure. Currently, the problem of depression is an increasingly common disorder in societies. Worldwide, 350 million suffer from the disease, but the statistics may be underestimated as many people do not go to the doctor and try to solve the problem.

The symptoms of depression are not the same in every person but depend on various factors. However, there are a few basic symptoms of depression:

• sadness, depression, discouragement,
• loss of interest in everyday activities, life, activities,
• functioning in a slow rhythm,
• lowering self-esteem,
• concentration disorders,
• difficulties in falling asleep and staying asleep, most often a person wakes up between 3 and 5 am and sometimes cannot fall asleep,
• decreased appetite, sometimes losing weight,
• a significant decrease in libido, both in women and men.

Usually, patients with depression feel the worst in the morning and by the afternoon and improve in the afternoon and evening. Sometimes, however, there are no diurnal mood swings. In addition, severely depressed people may experience physical symptoms, thoughts of suicide, and effects related to self-harm. Unfortunately, patients sometimes speak out loud about the fact that they will kill themselves, for example by taking a large number of sleeping pills or painkillers.

There are many types of depression and they differ in terms of cause, symptoms, as well as duration, and treatment methods. The most important types of depression include:

• seasonal depression, which intensifies in autumn and winter due to the lack of sunlight and occurs mainly in cold countries,
• long-term depression, for example over two years
• recurrent depression that comes back from time to time
• postpartum depression, occurring in women during the puerperium,
• psychotic and delusional depression, i.e. a disease in which there are also hallucinations and delusions.

Additionally, one can speak of depression in the elderly as a disease that occurs after the loss of a loved one. Sometimes, some individuals experience masked depression that does not produce the usual symptoms but develops other disorders such as anorexia or alcoholism.

Depression affects people of all ages, including children, adolescents, and seniors. However, this disease is most often diagnosed in people between the ages of 20 and 40. If symptoms of depression appear, it is necessary to contact a psychologist, psychotherapist, or psychiatrist.