Atypical Depression
Atypical depression is a better condition than major depression. Patients of this disease can give a positive OR negative response to any happening.
Their mental condition changes when they are in contact with friends or relatives. When these people are alone, their mood changes from normal to being depressed.
Symptoms
At least two to four symptoms are shown by a person who is affected by atypical depression. There are some important symptoms shown by atypical depression patients:
- The patient suffering from atypical depression eats a lot including chocolates, sweets and fatty foods resulting in weight gain
- Person can sleep for more than ten hours as compared to a person who has normal sleep
- Feeling of heaviness of the body
- In this type, person does not show sudden change but gradually his/her behavior changes
- There are mood swings
- In the beginning, the person shows depressed mood in sad or unhappy situation temporarily but gradually it becomes permanent
- There is decease in level of energy. Person become tired and is not
- Person becomes emotional of small things
- Frequent headaches
Causes
- Some patients take regular medicines for different diseases like reducing blood pressure, pills for sleep and sometime birth control pills
- If any patient is present in the family then there is possibility of causing atypical depression
- The level of neurotransmitters and hormones is very important for smooth functioning of the body. If any changes take place in the level, then it can lead to atypical depression
- Most of the time bedridden patients show atypical depression
- These patients are more physically impaired as compared to patients who have other types of depression
Treatment for atypical depression
- There are antidepressant medicines available for curing atypical depression. This type is less severe than the major type; therefore the patient can show good response. Mostly drugs are given in combination with other therapies like counseling, it increases the chances of early curing of the disease
- Sometimes, to cure some cases counseling can be beneficial. In this treatment, counselor tries to solve the problem that the patient is facing
- If patient is not giving response to any treatment, then doctors can use electroconvulsive treatment. In this treatment, electric pulses are passed to the brain which can improve the positive thinking capacity of the patient
Precaution while giving treatment
- In depression, the primary symptoms are quite same in all types. Therefore while giving treatment for atypical depression doctor should carefully observe the symptoms and then start treatment
- The patient can give different responses to different treatments. so while taking any decision, the treatment doctor should properly diagnose the effect
- Sometimes wrong treatment can give unexpected results like the patient may become more depressed after consumption of wrong medicines. Therefore while treating depression, both the doctor and the patient should take care of the medicines
