Did You Know There Are, At Least, 8 Types of Depression?
Depression is often used as an overarching diagnosis, but there are several, specific types
By Kim Easton-Smith Sarah MasonGetty Images
As with all mental illnesses, depression isn t an easy-to-define condition, and there are lots of variations. We might describe ourselves conversationally as feeling depressed if we re a bit down, but medical depression is a formal term that covers a variety of depressive conditions – some very common and some relatively rare.
Labels aren t always necessary, and they vary from country to country. But it can be helpful to know what to look out for. Here are the main types of depression recognised by professionals.
| UPDATED: 07:16, Wed, Mar 17, 2021
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Piles are the name given to swollen blood vessels that lie in or around the anus. They re completely normal, and shouldn t cause any major problems - although they can be unpleasant, and may cause some discomfort. These are the signs that you may have haemorrhoids.
Having heart palpitations could be one of the earliest signs of high blood pressure, said Bupa UK.
Heart palpitations cause people to feel their own heart beat. It may feel like a pounding in the chest, added charity the British Heart Foundation.
It could even be felt in the neck, or heard in the ears when lying down, it said.
“Palpitations describe the sensation of feeling your own heart beating,” said the British Heart Foundation.
“They often feel like a fluttering, pounding, a thud or movement in your chest, which you may feel in your neck or through your ear when you are lying down.
A number of studies have shown excess sugar can lead to an increased accumulation of fat in the belly and liver.
“Cut down on excess and added sugar, especially fructose,” advises Dr Luke James, medical director, UK Insurance at Bupa UK.
He adds: “Sugar-sweetened drinks, and in particular fructose-sweetened ones, have been shown in some research to cause higher levels of belly fat than other types of sugars. Though you should aim to reduce how much refined sugar you have in your diet overall.
“If you have a high intake of sugar, it’s been suggested by some experts that your liver can’t handle it and processes it in a way that results in damage to your health.