Depression is a difficult disease to diagnose. There are many different symptoms of depression and many different forms. In some types of depression the symptoms are clear and relatively easy to spot; in these cases depression is easier to treat. In other cases, however, the symptoms are unusual for depression or do not lend themselves easily to being diagnosed as depression. In atypical depression, the common features of depression are the exact opposite of what is expected. Most people who suffer from atypical depression are not at all aware that they are suffering from depression and may wonder for long periods what exactly is wrong with them. It may even be difficult for doctors to figure out what the problem is with such odd symptoms.
A Different Depression
People who suffer from atypical depression seem outwardly normal. Going out and enjoying life with people they know and behaving as would be expected, but when they go home they slip into a terrible state of depression. A typical depression often follows some sort of loss, including relationship, job, friendship or family. These individuals are incredibly sensitive to rejection and can have their lives put on hold over a small loss. This is often marked by periods of overeating and oversleeping to the point of being unable to get out of the bed. This is the opposite of people who have typical melancholia who experience the same kind of loss. These people tend to lose their appetites and the ability to sleep well. In addition to this, the onset of symptoms tends to be earlier than melancholia.
Striking Depression
A typical depression hits women considerably more often than men, it is believed that heredity plays a significant role in atypical depression. One truly striking feature of atypical depression regards mood reactivity. It seems that people who have this type of depression experience emotions at a more heightened level. They feel an insidious form of sadness that is affected by the way life goes on daily. The person feels better when something good happens and worse when something bad happens. This is different from melancholia because the sadness felt with “typical” depression is unaffected by anything, it is simply consistent sadness.
Treatment of A typical Depression
Drug therapy is the first step toward normalcy with atypical depression. Most research suggests that older versions of MAOI (Monamine oxidase inhibitors) drugs are more effective in treating atypical depression than tricyclic antidepressant. These include drugs like Nardil and Parnate. Also effective are SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) drugs like Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft or Luvox. Research also suggests psychotherapy is very helpful in treating atypical depression because it seeks to find the root of the depression and combat the symptoms. Psychotherapy has proven useful also. Studies have found that patients who went through cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) responded as well as if they had taken a treatment of MAOIs.
If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms related to atypical depression, it is important that a mental health professional be consulted to ensure proper evaluation and diagnosis.
