Types of Depression and Their Characteristics: Sektör X

Major Depression

To be diagnosed with major depression, a person must have at least four of the following symptoms, each lasting at least two weeks (in children, three of these symptoms lasting two weeks are sufficient for diagnosis): A sad or restless mood is the most basic symptom of depression. This mood is reflected externally with symptoms such as lethargy, lack of interest, and unwillingness. The person complains of being pessimistic, gloomy, unhappy, and lonely. They say they don't enjoy life. In children under 6 years old, these moods are understood through sad facial expressions. Decreased interest, desire, affection, and pleasure; decreased or absent sexual desire. Decreased appetite or loss of appetite. Weight loss. Rarely, increased appetite and weight gain. Sleep disturbances. Insomnia, rarely excessive sleep. Decreased or lost energy and strength. Consequently, exhaustion, weakness, fatigue. Decreased physical and mental work and functioning. Rarely, increased. The person evaluates themselves as inferior, small, and inadequate. Self-deprecation and self-blame. Feelings of guilt and sin. Inability to concentrate, slowed memory. Scattered thinking. Slowed and disturbed thinking. Thoughts of death and suicide. Delusions and hallucinations consistent with the increased mood, along with sadness and grief (babbling, nonsensical behavior, delusions). In our country, in addition to the symptoms listed above, the following are also included to be called major depression: slowed work, dissatisfaction, exhaustion, weakness, fatigue, irritability, crying spells, sleep disturbance, self-blame, pessimism, physical complaints, decreased sexual desire, guilt, decreased appetite, failure, weight loss, distorted body image (disliking one's appearance), suicidal thoughts, feeling of punishment.

Mania

Mania is a mood disorder. Its primary characteristic is an excessively joyful, cheerful, exuberant mood, or conversely, an angry, irritable mood. Additionally, the following symptoms may be present:

• Increased activity, speech, facial expressions, and gestures.

• Increased associations, flight of ideas.

• Increased self-esteem, grandiose thoughts.

• Decreased and scattered voluntary attention.

There are four types of mania: Hypomania, severe mania, delusional mania, and confused mania. Hypomania is a state of persistent cheerful or angry mood, increased activity and movement, which does not require clinical treatment. In severe mania, all the symptoms listed above are present. Clinical treatment is required. In delusional mania, all the symptoms of mania may be present. However, delusions of grandeur, hostility, and jealousy are prominent. Therefore, the clinical picture initially resembles paranoid disorders. In confused mania, disturbances of consciousness are added to the symptoms of mania. The field of consciousness narrows, becomes cloudy, confused, and visual and auditory hallucinations may occur. Manic episodes last an average of 2-4 months. There are episodes lasting a week, as well as those lasting a year. Cases that show resistance to treatment, do not want to recover, and last for years are called chronic mania. Bipolar and Unipolar Depressions Bipolar disorder is classic manic-depressive psychosis, while unipolar disorder is recurrent depression.