Depression is a mental state characterized by a pessimistic sense of inadequacy and a despondent lack of activity. It is not when a person is just feeling sad or blue, because everyone does every once in a while. It is a serious condition when a person has these feelings all the time and it interferes with their daily lives. Many people with a serious condition of depression do not seek help when it could really benefit them. There are many different forms of depression. Major depressive disorder disables a person from functioning normally with their everyday life. Dysthymic disorder is a long term form of depression, but it has less serious symptoms than major depressive disorder. Psychotic depression is when a person with a serious depressive disorder experiences hallucinations, delusions, and a break with reality. Postpartum depression occurs when a new mother has a major depressive period one month after delivery of her child. Seasonal affective disorder occurs during the winter months when there is less natural sunlight. Normally, this disorder lifts during the spring and summer when there is more sunlight present. As you can see, there are many different types of depression to be treated.
