Atypical Depression: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Atypical Depression

Atypical Depression is characterized by mood fluctuation that is the ability to experience an improved mood as a response to positive events. People suffering from atypical depression will feel very depressed or a bit hopeful.

This will depend on what sort of a situation they have faced recently. Their mood is likely to brighten quite a bit when eating out with friends, when they are watching a good movie, etc. However, when they happen to be alone once again, they are likely to sink back into the dark depths of depression.

Atypical depression therefore is a kind of depression which is only a little different from major depression. Unlike major depression, the person suffering is able to experience at least some moments of elation and happiness. (See also ⇨ Different Types of Depression and Their Symptoms)

Symptoms of Atypical Depression

Symptoms of atypical depression include oversleeping, weight gain, overeating and fatigue.

In addition to the core symptoms of depression, atypical depression is also viewed as the ability to feel better temporarily in response to a positive occurrence in life as well as any two of the following criteria:

These are overeating, a heavy feeling in the limbs, sensitivity to rejection and excessive sleep.

Atypical depression episodes could last for months. Sometimes those suffering from this disorder may have to live with for the rest of their lives.

In spite of its name, atypical depression is quite a common form of depression. Almost 40% of those suffering from depression maybe said to be suffering from atypical depression. Research shows that this sort of depression is more common for women and less common for men.

Causes of Atypical Depression

People of all sex and age could become victims of atypical depression. It could also start at a very early phase of an individual’s life. Teenagers are often found to be suffering from this kind of depression.

It is quite difficult to locate or pinpoint the exact cause of what is known as atypical depression. It is a state of mind which impacts the brain by a combination of genetic, emotional and physical traits. Some of the major causes of atypical depression are as follows:

• Genes play a very important role in causing atypical depression. A person who has a history of depression in his family is genetically more prone to such a disease.
• Chronic or prolonged illness also often contributes to atypical depression.
• Atypical depression can be caused by frustration, anxiety and stress in personal and professional life.
• Divorce or separation with the spouse and rejection in love could be a cause of this disease.
• There are also some biological causes of major depression. These are pregnancy and hormonal changes in a person’s body.
• Stressful live events could also be a major cause of this disease.

Atypical Depression Treatment

There are various choices of treatments and a good support network which the sufferers of this kind of depression can avail of.

Clinical Methods of Curing Atypical Depression

Psychotherapy could definitely work in curing the state of atypical depression. It could resolve eating and sleeping issues. It could also benefit rejection issues and various other kinds of issues which cause atypical depression.

Monomine Oxidase Inhibitors are very effective in treating atypical depression. Persons suffering from atypical depression are made to follow very rigid diets owing to a possible Tyramine reaction. This causes the patients not to be the first choice in the treatment.

Trycyclics are an older kind of antidepressant medicine which is known to cure atypical depression. These however have extremely severe side effects.

Prozac is another drug which works as well as Trycyclics but with much fewer side effects.

  Read also ⇒ How to Deal With the Depression: Basics and Beyond

Natural Methods of Treating Atypical Depression

The first thing to know is that it is not mandatory to resort to drugs, prescribed or otherwise, for treating atypical depression. Several drugs which the doctors prescribe for curing atypical depression are very expensive and in the long run, habit forming. Therefore it is important to take a moment and make sure that there are other options available.

An important tool which should be considered for curing atypical depression is following a well-considered plan of diet. One should not however eat food to lose weight. One should instead eat the kind of food which is crisp and light and will give the energy which is needed for getting through the whole day. The consequences of this could be quite profound.

  Read more:

             1. Foods for Fighting depression

             2. Healthy Diet for Depression and Anxiety

While it is very necessary to have goals, they must be kept small. There are several people who very often feel overwhelmed when they experience atypical depression. They are often unable to move forward with this issue because it is too arduous a task. It is important to break down this mammoth task into smaller tasks so that it could be easier to accomplish. When there are a series of small tasks to think about, it becomes much easier to fulfill them.

There are herbal treatments which could be used to cure atypical depression. These work very well in mild and moderate cases. However, more studies need to be conducted to determine their benefits on advanced cases.

Herbal supplements include vitamins, minerals, herbs and various other kinds of nutritive substances. They also come very often in the form of capsules. They are manufactured according to pharmaceutical standards. The ingredients metabolic path at the molecular level, have to be examined and the interactions of these ingredients have to be noted. This will ensure their purity, potency, safety and above all, their effectiveness.

  Read also ⇨ How to Get Rid of Depression Without Medication

Conclusion

Thus while atypical depression is a common and severe mental disorder, there are various options one could avail of for treating it. One can find several ways of curing this disease by surfing the internet. If the disease is to be overcome, the treatment options have to be implemented immediately.