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This is the most severe category of depression. In a major depression, more of the symptoms of depression are present, and they are usually more intense or severe. A major depression can result from a single traumatic event in your life, or may develop slowly as a consequence of numerous personal disappointments and life problems. Some people appear to develop the symptoms of a major depression without any obvious life crisis causing it. Other individuals have had less severe symptoms of depression for a long time (such as Dysthymic disorder), and a life crisis results in increased symptom intensity.
Major depression can occur once, as a result of a significant psychological trauma, respond to treatment, and never occur again within your lifetime. This would be a single episode depression. Some people tend to have recurring depression, with episodes of depression followed by periods of several years without depression, followed by another episode, usually in response to another trauma. This would be a recurrent depression. In general, the treatment is similar, except that treatment usually is over a longer time period for recurrent depression.
Double Depression
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Double depression occurs when someone with dysthymia experiences an episode of major depression. Often, dysthymia is first diagnosed because the person has a superimposed episode of major depression. It takes the more serious symptoms of major depression to spur a person to seek help. The treatment goal in double depression is to get the person feeling better than he or she felt before.
Treatment for double depression is virtually the same as that for major depression. However, because people with double depression have often not been treated for their dysthymia, the goal of treatment is to get the person to feel better than she did before the episode of major depression. Medications are almost always needed. Psychotherapy of some type (e.g., cognitive, behavioral) is also essential in treating double depression. Once you find a therapist, you can map out the treatment plan that is best for you. Every person's treatment plan will be unique, taking into consideration that person's unique background, circumstances, and preferences
Sitting or lying with the newborn baby in the parent's arms is probably one of the happiest moments in the life of any man or woman. It is such a relief after so many months of waiting. The hardships of the pregnancy and the pain of delivery are forgotten for a while as a parent cuddles the tiny new arrival and feels a sense of tranquillity.
But most women will experience a period when they feel insecure, vulnerable, sad or anxious. The enormous responsibility of suddenly having a new baby to care for can make a new mother feel afraid and inadequate. Mood swings are common. It is possible to feel elated one moment and tearful, tired or irritable the next. This can be frightening too, not knowing what is happening or why these feelings arise.
On the fourth day after the baby is born, it's common for 'the baby blues' to sink in and for mothers to find themselves crying for no particular reason. This can happen at any time within the first week after the birth and usually passes in a day or two as long as the mother has had a chance to rest and is ready for her new world.
It is important to distinguish this normal experience of the 'baby blues' from postnatal depression There are a number of factors that may contribute to postnatal depression. These include: