What is the difference between unipolar depression and major depressive disorder

Unless hospitalization is indicated, or in the presence of other complicating factors, there is nothing wrong with delaying treatment for a day or a week while additional history is obtained. Ron Pies and Dr. John Miller for their support of this Special Report. J Clin Psychiatry. Am J Psychiatry. N Engl J Med. Ghaemi SN. Antidepressants in Bipolar Depression: An Update. Presented at the 29th Annual U. Patterns and predictors of conversion to bipolar disorder in 91, individuals diagnosed with unipolar depression.

Acta Psychiatr Scand. July 31, John J. Miller, MD. Tools to get to the right diagnosis When a new patient presents for treatment of a major depressive episode, it is prudent for the clinician to spend time in the clinical interview obtaining history that may aid in the differentiation of a bipolar depression from a unipolar depression.

Concluding thoughts Ultimately, the decision to treat a patient who presents with a DSM-5 major depressive episode as an episode of unipolar depression versus BDI depression is made after factoring all of the information available at the time of treatment initiation.

References: 1. Download Issue : Vol 35, Issue 7. Symptoms of depression interfere with all areas of a person's life, including work and social relationships. Depression can be described as mild, moderate or severe; melancholic or psychotic see below. This is the term used to describe a severe form of depression where many of the physical symptoms of depression are present.

One of the major changes is that the person starts to move more slowly. They're also more likely to have a depressed mood that is characterised by complete loss of pleasure in everything, or almost everything. Sometimes people with a depressive disorder can lose touch with reality and experience psychosis.

This can involve hallucinations seeing or hearing things that aren't there or delusions false beliefs that aren't shared by others , such as believing they are bad or evil, or that they're being watched or followed. They can also be paranoid, feeling as though everyone is against them or that they are the cause of illness or bad events occurring around them. Women are at an increased risk of depression during pregnancy known as the antenatal or prenatal period and in the year following childbirth known as the postnatal period.

You may also come across the term 'perinatal', which describes the period covered by pregnancy and the first year after the baby's birth. The causes of depression at this time can be complex and are often the result of a combination of factors. In the days immediately following birth, many women experience the 'baby blues' which is a common condition related to hormonal changes and affects up to 80 per cent of women.

Depression is longer lasting and can affect not only the mother, but her relationship with her baby, the child's development, the mother's relationship with her partner and with other members of the family.

Almost 10 per cent of women will experience depression during pregnancy. This increases to 16 per cent in the first three months after having a baby.

Bipolar disorder used to be known as 'manic depression' because the person experiences periods of depression and periods of mania, with periods of normal mood in between.

Mania is like the opposite of depression and can vary in intensity — symptoms include feeling great, having lots of energy, having racing thoughts and little need for sleep, talking quickly, having difficulty focusing on tasks, and feeling frustrated and irritable. This is not just a fleeting experience. Sometimes the person loses touch with reality and has episodes of psychosis.

Experiencing psychosis involves hallucinations seeing or hearing something that is not there or having delusions e. Bipolar disorder seems to be most closely linked to family history. Stress and conflict can trigger episodes for people with this condition and it's not uncommon for bipolar disorder to be misdiagnosed as depression, alcohol or drug abuse, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD or schizophrenia.

However, this type of depression is distinguishable from other types such as bipolar in that a depressed mood can last the entire day, and persist for longer-periods longer than 2 weeks. In order to determine whether someone is affected by this mood disorder, doctors and mental health professionals assess their feelings, behavior patterns and symptoms.

Typically, they will ask specific questions about your mental well-being, or present you with a questionnaire which after completion will indicate whether or not you have unipolar depression. In order to be diagnosed with unipolar depression, you must fulfill the symptom criteria that is listed in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Also referred to as DSM , this manual acts as a guide for doctors and mental health workers to diagnose mental health conditions.

On the level of brain chemistry, a combination of stress and genetic predisposition can alter the chemical balance within the brain and diminish the ability to maintain stable moods. Also, changes in hormonal balances can also increase the likelihood of developing unipolar depression.

One of the widely accepted theories is that unipolar depression is caused by lack of balance in the naturally occurring chemicals known as neurotransmitters , that are present in the brain as well as the spinal cord. It has been concluded that serotonin and norepinephrine are two of the neurotransmitters that are responsible for symptoms of the disorder. This can also affect the level of happiness they feel in their lives, as well as whether or not they will develop a mood disorder like unipolar depression.

The way in which we view the world is shaped by our experiences, with the most impactful phase being in our childhood and teenage years. Later in life when faced with negative situations, individuals with this kind of past can view situations or themselves worse than others around them, ultimately contributing to their emotional suffering and predisposing them to mental illnesses like depression. As we go through life, it is natural that we become victims of very stressful and unfortunate events, which can trigger unipolar depression or other mental disorders.

Medications along with psychotherapy have shown to be effective at treating unipolar depression for most people. Once a patient has been diagnosed with unipolar depression, treatment often starts with the prescription of antidepressant medications. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors , otherwise known as SSRIs are a class of antidepressants that are most commonly prescribed.

People with unipolar depression often suffer from deficiency of serotonin, which is the neurotransmitter responsible for regulating moods and sleep patterns. SSRIs help to slow the breakdown of serotonin, which allows the brain to have a higher level of this important neurotransmitter.

Some of the well-known SSRI medications include fluoxetine prozac as well as citalopram celexa , which have been shown to have low occurrence of side-effects in most people. Other medications include tricyclic antidepressants, which are typically prescribed when after treatment with SSRIs proved to lack effectiveness. The side effects of these types of antidepressants are more severe, and include sleepiness as well as weight gain.

Also, if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant it is important to make your doctor aware, as certain antidepressants may not be safe for pregnant or breastfeeding women.