Atypical Depression

Atypical depression -- a type of depression that can be difficult to treat - has symptoms that include weight gain, sleeping too much, and feeling anxious. Here is information about the causes of atypical depression and its diagnosis that you can use to help you talk with your doctor about it.

What is atypical depression?

Atypical depression is a subtype of depression with certain specific characteristics. A person with classic clinical depression has at least five, and possibly more, of the following symptoms or signs:

* sadness

* loss of energy

* feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness

Chronic Depression (Dysthymia)

Dysthymia, sometimes referred to as chronic depression, is a less severe form of depression. With dysthymia, the depression symptoms can linger for a long period of time, perhaps two years or longer. Those who suffer from dysthymia are usually able to function adequately but might seem consistently unhappy.

What Causes Dysthymia?

Experts are not sure what causes dysthymia. This form of chronic depression is thought to be related to brain changes that involve serotonin, a chemical or neurotransmitter that aids your brain in coping with emotions. Major life stressors, chronic illness, medications, and relationship or work problems may also increase the chances of dysthymia.

Major Depression (Clinical Depression)

Feeling sad and helpless? It's possible you have major depression, also known as clinical depression. People with major depression feel a profound and constant sense of hopelessness and despair.

With major depression, you may have symptoms that make it difficult to work, study, sleep, eat, and enjoy friends and activities. Some people have clinical depression only once in their life. Others may have it several times in a lifetime.

What is major or clinical depression?

Most people feel sad or low at some point in life. But clinical depression is marked by a depressed mood most of the day, particularly in the morning. In addition, according to the DSM-IV -- a manual used to diagnose mental health conditions -- you may have other symptoms with major depression. Those symptoms might include:

Losing Weight Isn’t a Sprint; It’s a Marathon

I ran my first marathon about two weeks ago! It was a life-changing and unforgettable experience.

Less than a year ago, I didn’t even think I would ever run a marathon. Even five months ago, when I first started training, I wasn’t sure if I could handle 26 miles. The more I thought about how I trained and completed that marathon, the more I realized how similar the experience was to achieving and maintaining my Feel Great Weight. Who knew they were so alike?

Consistency is important

As with losing weight, consistent training was important to achieving my goal. Before finding my Feel Great Weight, my calorie intake and exercise regimen were all over the place. One day, I’d splurge on high-calorie junk foods, like nachos and brownies, and then try to make up for it with much more restrictive eating the next day. Similarly, I’d fall off the workout wagon only to obsessively commit to a new exercise routine for about a week, before losing motivation once again.

Depression Types

All depression types are not the same. Major depression, also known as clinical depression, and chronic depression, also known as dysthymia, are the most common types. But there are also other types of depression with unique signs, symptoms, and treatment.

What Is Major Depressive Disorder?

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, major depressive disorder is characterized by a combination of symptoms that interfere with a person's ability to work, sleep, study, eat, and enjoy once-pleasurable activities.

There are times you may feel sad, lonely, or hopeless for a few days. But major depression -- clinical depression -- is disabling. It can prevent you from functioning normally. An episode of clinical depression may occur only once in a person's lifetime. More often, though, it recurs throughout a person's life.

How I Stopped Feeling Guilty About Food

A few months ago, I went out to lunch with a friend of mine. As I was perusing the menu, she said she planned to order something light because she had overdone it the night before on pizza and beer. She went on to explain that she had been “so bad” and wanted to be “good” today.

I don’t like using the words “good” or “bad” to describe food choices, but I knew exactly how she felt. There were plenty of times in my life that I felt guilty about the food choices I had made or how much of those foods I had consumed. But the more I thought about what my friend said, the more I realized eating certain foods shouldn’t make anyone feel good or bad about themselves.