Depression is a common illness that has affected almost 6.7% of the adult population, according to a recent survey, in the country. This serious mental health disorder can be characterized by feelings of depression and a loss of interest in activities that once were a hobby or something that brought joy to the affected person. This tends to hamper daily life activities which could lead to an increase in bouts of feeling depressed.

It has been noted that adolescents are more prone to be suffering from depression. However, this disorder is not specific to that age group. People suffering from depression can undergo extreme stress and may not feel comfortable speaking out loud about it in public. This disorder of the mind is serious and could lead to the affected person taking extreme measures to end the depressed feelings. One should not ignore if they or anyone they know is suffering from depression. In the following, a few of the major types of depression have been listed.

Types of depression
Not everyone might know about the various types of depression. This mental health disorder is a serious ailment and one should seek treatment as soon as they notice any prominent symptoms. Some of the common types of depression have been listed as follows:

• Clinical depression (Major depression)
  In this type, the symptoms generally interfere with the activities of daily life, thereby becoming a major hindrance in enjoyment. Eating and sleeping habits may get altered in such cases. This type of depression might last for a few weeks and may recur from time to time. There can also be a substantial loss of reality resulting in delusion and hallucination.

• Dysthymia
  This is a depressive disorder that persistently and continuously strikes an individual. This depression might last for as long as 2 years if not treated on time. There are no severe symptoms in such cases but the episodes of depressive disorder are intense and frequent.

• Postpartum depression
  This depressive disorder is majorly faced by new mothers. This is synonymously known as  the baby blues where the impairment of one’s mood is stronger. This may last long after the delivery of a child. There may be feelings of anxiety, sadness, and exhaustion experienced by the affected individual.

• Bipolar disorder
  In certain cases, an individual may experience manic depression  episodes wherein there is a characteristic mood swing that generally switches between extreme highs and lows. This condition is referred to as bipolar disorder.

• SAD (seasonal affective disorder)
  SAD is a depressive order that occurs in winters. The seasonal change of mood might be due to less exposure to sunlight. This generally results in social withdrawals, weight gain, and increased sleep. This disorder is more common in areas where there is less sunlight during certain times of the year.

• Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
  In this type of mental disorder, the symptoms generally appear before and after menstruation. This may recur from time to time.

Causes of depression
There are several causes of depression. Scientist and researchers have noted the following factors to be causative factors of depression:

• A genetic factor which may have been passed from generations.
• Abuse or trauma experienced at any stage of life may bring about short- or long-term stress and fear.
• Deformity in the anatomy of the brain can bring about depressive thoughts.
• Alcohol and drug abuse are also regarded to bring about extreme dependency causing addiction.
• Medical condition like chronic pain, cancer, and ADHD may also initiate this mental disorder.

If any of the symptoms are noted, one should seek treatment for it as soon as possible.