Depression is a mental disorder and manifests in each person differently with multiple symptoms. Doctors examine the patients and identify their physical condition and mental health symptoms to classify depression further. Once they diagnose the type of depression, they begin treatment immediately. Though there are many types of depression, seven common types of depression can impact a person’s daily life. Understanding the types can help with the diagnosis, symptoms, and treatment.

1. Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
Major depressive disorder is also called clinical depression. A person with MDD may experience symptoms like fatigue, sadness, changes in appetite, eating and sleeping patterns, suicidal thoughts, and lack of concentration.

2. Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD)
It is a chronic depression that lasts for about two years with some periods of normalcy (usually two months or less), after which the symptoms return. The symptoms may not be as severe as MDD but last longer. Typical symptoms of PDD are sadness, lack of interest or motivation, concentration issues, feelings of guilt and low self-esteem, too much or little sleep, anger, and irritability.

3. Bipolar disorder
Mania is a period when a person feels extremely energetic, feels great, and cannot sleep or work. A bipolar person may turn upbeat suddenly and feel euphoric and have high self-confidence. Lack of sleep and racing thoughts, constant talking, inability to focus on one task are symptoms of bipolar disorder. They feel irritated and frustrated and lose touch with reality. Hallucinations and delusions are common symptoms of bipolar disorder.

4. Psychotic depression
When people who have any depressive order also experience symptoms of psychosis, like, hallucinations, delusion, paranoia, the depression is called psychotic depression.

5. Postpartum depression (PPD)
Mood changes, childbirth pressures, and adjustment issues due to lack of time and rest are common among new mothers right after childbirth. The symptoms of PDD are very different from those signs. Symptoms can be mild to severe. Mood swings, sadness, constant crying, loss of appetite, feeling overwhelmed, lack of concentration, and lack of interest to feed or care for the baby are symptoms of PDD.

6. Melancholia
Apart from the typical symptoms of depression, people with melancholia have no interest or pleasure in doing even the basic of tasks. Another sign of melancholia is that the affected person’s movements begin to slow down, like walking.

7. Atypical depression
A person may go through all the signs of depression. They may be feeling sad and may not eat much or overeat, may not sleep or sleep too much. Excessive sleeping and eating are symptoms of atypical depression. They may have an extreme reaction to routine situations and also feel tired and weak. Sometimes, they may snap under slight pressure as well. Weight gain in a short period is another symptom of atypical depression.