Three different types of depression
There are different
types of depression, each of them have their own symptoms, causes and treatments.
Non-melancholic depression
Non-melancholic depression (also called major or
clinical depression) is the most common type of depression and affects one in four females and one in six males over their lifetime. Non-melancholic means that the main cause of the depression is psychological factors, not biological factors. This type of depression usually occurs in response to a specific or series of stressful events and usually lifts when the
stressful event is resolved or removed, or through learning helpful coping strategies.
Non-melancholic depression can be hard to diagnose because it doesn't have the defining characteristics of other types of depression (such as impaired mental functioning, physical disturbance or psychotic features). Symptoms may include:
- a depressed mood or sadness for more than two weeks
- loss of pleasure, interest and productivity in most things, including social activities, relationships and work, school or uni
- Constant low mood over the day
Non-melancholic depression responds well to different sorts of treatments, including psychotherapies, counselling and
antidepressants, depending on the original cause and your personality.
Melancholic depression
Melancholic depression is a more severe depression than
non-melancholic depression and is primarily caused by biological factors. It is an uncommon type of depression, affecting only around 1-2% of the population and roughly the same number of males
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