Depression
Frequently Asked Questions
3. What are the different types of depression?
Major depressive disorder, also called major depression or clinical depression, is characterized by a combination of symptoms that interfere with your ability to work, sleep, eat, and enjoy activities you once liked. Major depression keeps a person from functioning normally.
Dysthymic disorder, or dysthymia, is a less severe but sometimes more long-lasting form of depression. It is characterized by symptoms lasting two years or longer that keep you from functioning normally or feeling well.
Many older adults experience subsyndromal depression -- real symptoms of depression that are less severe than major depression or dysthymia. Having sybsydromal depression may increase your risk of developing major depression.
