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Depression is a mental illness that is quite often characterized by prolonged periods of sadness and melancholy, experts from the field of psychiatry say.

But just because someone mopes around and hates the world around him or her, it doesn’t necessarily mean that he/she is suffering from depression, but if this kind of behavior, the feeling of emptiness, loss of self-worth and absolute lack of hope for happiness continues , then, that individual could be, indeed, depressed. However, there are various types of depression too.

Manic or Bipolar depression is notable for sudden and extreme changes in mood – one minute he or she is euphoric while the next minute (day or week), he or she feels as if he or she is hell.

Postpartum depression – characterized by a prolonged sadness and a feeling of emptiness by a new mother where physical stress during child birth, an uncertain sense of responsibility towards the new born baby can be just some of the possible reasons why some new mothers go through this.

Dysthimia is characterized by a slight similarity with depression, although this type has been proven to be a lot less severe, however. as with any case of depression, it needs to be sorted out immediately.

Cyclothemia is characterized by only a nominal similarity with Manic or Bipolar depression wherein the sufferer of this mental disease has a problem with rapid mood swings.

Seasonal Affective Disorder – characterized by being depressed only during specific seasons (i.e. Winter, Spring, Summer or Autumn). However, studies prove that more people actually become ill during the Winter and Fall seasons. Or they could suffer from mood swings, wherein a person’s mood may shift from happy to sad to angry in quite a short time.

‘Clinical depression’ or as some might call it, ‘major depression’, is the actual medical term for depression. Actually, clinical depression is more of a disorder than an illness, because it refers only to those who are suffering from symptoms that cause depression.

However, despite being an actual disorder, clinical depression can be treated quite successfully. Doctors are usually highly optimistic that patients suffering from clinical depression will soon be well on their way to good mental health if they are treated as soon as they have been diagnosed. Patients who have sought treatment for clinical depression have proven to be quite successful in their hopes, since 80 percent of those treated have found relief from their illness.

For those who may be seeking answers to questions related to clinical depression, the depression section of the health center is highly recommended, as well as books on psychiatry and the Internet – which can offer a lot of helpful information, although self treatment is very much frowned upon. Clinical depression may not pose as much of a threat as the other types of mental illness, but it is best to leave it in the hands of professionals who can safely attend to and cure this disorder.