Atypical Depression

Do you feel happy in positive situations yet slip into a dark depressed mood as soon as you feel alone or rejected? You may be suffering from Atypical Depression.

Atypical Depression Might Generate Severe Social Withdrawal

Atypical depression overwhelms individuals to the point of social paralysis, causing victims to withdraw from social contact, sleep heavily, and gain weight. The functional atypical depression symptoms include an inability to handle criticism or rejection, avoidance of social situations, sleeping most of the day, and overeating. Females are more likely to develop the condition, and they often first display symptoms during adolescence. The condition is fairly common despite its name, and the functional impairment can be among the most sever of any type of depression.

How Common is Atypical Depression?

The name does not refer to the number of people with the disorder. In fact, the disorder is the most common type of depression and occurs in 40 percent of people suffering from depression. Atypical refers to the symptoms. Other forms of the dysfunction cause weight loss and insomnia, but people with this condition often gain weight and sleep excessively. The condition most commonly manifests in women during their teenage years. Young people can often be cruel and ostracize certain individuals. Most people learn to shrug off rejection and establish alternate friendships and activities to compensate, but some individuals are unable to deal with rejection and withdraw. The condition may manifest in cycles, causing mood swings that make the condition mimic atypical depression bipolar or atypical bipolar disorders. These conditions are noted for rapid mood swings, whereas typical bipolar patients moods often remain for days at a time.

Video: Atypical depression: diagnosing depression and bipolar disorder

Causes of Atypical Depression

Chemical imbalances in the brain are thought to trigger depression. Chemicals such as dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine transmit signals between nerve endings, and doctors believe an excess or lack of one chemical can affect mood. An exact formula has not been identified, but the following conditions can often serve as a catalyst to cause the mental disorder to gain a foothold in an individual. Genetic factors indicate that depression runs in families. Major loss caused by death or divorce might trigger bouts of depression. Abuse of any kind can stimulate the condition. Major life changes lead many people of display symptoms of mental suffering. Extreme illnesses such as cancer or AIDS can cause forms of depression. Chemical abuse weakens the system and enhances the chances of developing the mental disorder.
Atypical Depression Test Reveals Symptoms
An online self-assessment test or atypical depression quiz can identify individuals who may need treatment.

Symptoms of the disorder include the following:

Victims of the condition are often unable to experience pleasure.
Patients often withdraw and develop an apathetic attitude toward work, school, responsibility and relationships. Excessive sleep characterizes the disorder.

Atypical depression often develops at a young age. Mental problems often cause people to overeat excessively and gain weight, which further reinforces the depression in a vicious cycle.

In severe cases, people have gained so much weight they can no longer leave their bedrooms. Victims have trouble concentrating.

Victims entertain feelings of despair and have thought of suicide. Sometimes depression causes heightened anxiety similar to panic disorder for no apparent reason.
People who feel worthless or rejected by everyone often suffer from depression. Heavy feelings in the arms and legs often accompany the condition.

Treatment Atypical Depression

Several approved medical treatment options offer hope for those suffering the anxiety of atypical depression. These include the following options. Medication atypical depression

Medication

The first level of treatment is finding an effective antidepressant. Many patients undergo complete remission of symptoms from drug therapy.

Psychotherapy and Counseling

Psychotherapy is often used in conjunction with medication. Mental health Atypical depression test professionals encourage patients to talk about their feelings, which often supplies relief from the mental baggage these patients carry. Behavior modification is encouraged by various techniques. Counseling and increased social interaction often relieve the depression, because loneliness is often at the center of the disorder.

Electroconvulsive Therapy

This therapy, called ECT for short, involves application of a brief electrical stimulus to the scalp to produce a seizure. The therapy is only used in extreme cases when other efforts have failed to provide relief from the suffering of patients. Laymen often call the treatment shock therapy, but that terminology produces negative connotations and is not used by professional therapists.

Vagus Nerve Stimulation

A device is surgically implanted to provide stimulus to the vagus nerve at periodic intervals. The therapy was developed to control attacks of epilepsy, but has proven useful in treating depression and bipolar disorder.

Children and Mothers

Special treatments must be designed to accommodate small children or mothers. Mothers often have familial responsibilities that exacerbate the effect of their symptoms. Pregnant women must balance the potential effects of drug therapies on unborn children. The side effects of antidepressants could impact fetal development.

Depression affects people in various ways, and people may manifest symptoms at any time in their lives due to traumatic experiences beyond their control. Diagnosis and treatment are essential for recovery.