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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Cass on October 23, 2001, at 21:34:07
Can someone tell me the difference between Clinical depression and Chronic, recurring depression. Which is more severe? Is one a chemical imbalance?
Posted by susan C on October 23, 2001, at 23:01:45
In reply to Types of depression, posted by Cass on October 23, 2001, at 21:34:07
my wee brain understanding is they are the same. but betcha you could get lotsa bites on the pb board...
There is a type i cant remember the name of, which is a 'situational' depression. I first experienced that when my inlaws died...i said to myself, whow. this is REGULAR depression...and it went away...
dx with chronic clinical depression from 198something (probably all my life) to 2000 and bipolar from 2000 on...go figure...
mouse with a wee brain
susan C> Can someone tell me the difference between Clinical depression and Chronic, recurring depression. Which is more severe? Is one a chemical imbalance?
Posted by sar on October 23, 2001, at 23:56:46
In reply to Types of depression, posted by Cass on October 23, 2001, at 21:34:07
> Can someone tell me the difference between Clinical depression and Chronic, recurring depression. Which is more severe? Is one a chemical imbalance?
from what i understand, "clinical" depression's symptoms persist for 2 weeks or more.
"chronic" depression is recurring...i don't know whether it matters whether it is mild, moderate, or severe...
"dysthymia" is a chronic condition of mild depression--you never feel quite right or happy, always mildly depressed...
from experience i'd say that "chronic" is more severe than "clinical"--"chronic" is automatically clinical...clinical isn't automatically chronic (bless the lawd)...
best.
sar
Posted by adamie on October 24, 2001, at 13:13:05
In reply to Re: Types of depression » Cass, posted by susan C on October 23, 2001, at 23:01:45
situational depression is fake depression. it is simply sadness due to negative events or situations. I do not consider sadness to at all be depression. Those people think they have it tough? Clinical depression is uncontrollable depression. Your life can be perfect yet none of that will matter because you feel horrible uncontrollably. I wish people who dont have a mental disorder would be grateful and more appreciatibe with what they have. A bad job and you're lonely? Big deal. Sadness rarely kills anyone. Meanwhile mental disorders often can.> my wee brain understanding is they are the same. but betcha you could get lotsa bites on the pb board...
>
> There is a type i cant remember the name of, which is a 'situational' depression. I first experienced that when my inlaws died...i said to myself, whow. this is REGULAR depression...and it went away...
>
> dx with chronic clinical depression from 198something (probably all my life) to 2000 and bipolar from 2000 on...go figure...
>
> mouse with a wee brain
> susan C
>
> > Can someone tell me the difference between Clinical depression and Chronic, recurring depression. Which is more severe? Is one a chemical imbalance?
Posted by Edward on October 24, 2001, at 19:40:02
In reply to Re: Types of depression, posted by adamie on October 24, 2001, at 13:13:05
> Those people think they have it tough? Clinical depression is uncontrollable depression. Your life can be perfect yet none of that will matter because you feel horrible uncontrollably. I wish people who dont have a mental disorder would be grateful and more appreciatibe with what they have. A bad job and you're lonely? Big deal. Sadness rarely kills anyone. Meanwhile mental disorders often can.
Does it really make a difference why you feel bad? Misery is still misery. Feeling sad can be hell; that it will never kill you is no consolation. In fact, I used to believe that I was in hell sometimes when I was sad; I wished that the sadness would kill me, my mind would dissolve in tearfulness. The fact that happiness was, in theory, possible for me was no consolation because I had no power to change my life. It just rubbed the despair in my face and made me think "if only" far too many times.
Mental disorders don't kill people, suicide does. A sad person can become suicidal. And as for people appreciating things that they don't appreciate, I wish that everyone would appreciate what they have. Unfortunately we can't always make ourselves do so.
This post sounds a little hostile to me as I read it; it is not intended to be. I care about you even though I don't know and have never met you. I feel sad that your life was so upset the way it was; I hope things do work out for you in the end :-)
Posted by galtin on October 25, 2001, at 21:52:20
In reply to Re: Types of depression, posted by sar on October 23, 2001, at 23:56:46
> > Can someone tell me the difference between Clinical depression and Chronic, recurring depression. Which is more severe? Is one a chemical imbalance?
>
> from what i understand, "clinical" depression's symptoms persist for 2 weeks or more.
>
> "chronic" depression is recurring...i don't know whether it matters whether it is mild, moderate, or severe...
>
> "dysthymia" is a chronic condition of mild depression--you never feel quite right or happy, always mildly depressed...
>
> from experience i'd say that "chronic" is more severe than "clinical"--"chronic" is automatically clinical...clinical isn't automatically chronic (bless the lawd)...
>
> best.
> sarNot sure about this,but I don't think that clinical depression is a formal diagnostic term. I have understood it to denote the kind of depression that is endogenous (inherent and originating in the brain) in distinction from exogenous depressions, which are triggered by external events. I have sometimes heard the term clinical depression used interchangeably with so-called biological depession. It normally indicates a malady more serious than situational depression. These terms have lately fallen out of favor, at least in my neck of the woods, because many depressions are caused by a combination of exogenous and endogenous factors.
Calling depression chronic identifies it as continuous or recurring over a long period of time.
I have had episodes of severe depression over the last 20 years. None of them remitted on their own; it required the right medication to bring them to heel. I have been able to take medication breaks of up to three months, but depression inevitably returns with its previous intensity. During my most recent med-check my pdoc told me that I need to accept taking A-D meds for the rest of my life. I don't like this prospect, but I can accept it, given the alternative.
I feel nearly helpless when I try to explain what my depressions feel like because they are not continuous with any ordinary experiences or feelings. When somebody seems really interested in understanding it, I recommend they read William Styron's brief but eloquent memoir, "Darkness Visible." It's a great book. Styron captures in about 100 pages the essential experience of depression, at least as it has been experienced by this depressive.
Hope this made some sense.
galtin
Posted by Elizabeth on October 26, 2001, at 17:01:08
In reply to Types of depression, posted by Cass on October 23, 2001, at 21:34:07
> Can someone tell me the difference between Clinical depression and Chronic, recurring depression. Which is more severe? Is one a chemical imbalance?
"Clinical" depression just means that the depression is serious enough to be considered an illness requiring treatment. Serious clinical depression can be chronic or can come in recurring episodes, or it may be chronic with recurring "flare-ups."
"Chemical imbalance" is a vague expression. I don't think it actually means anything.
Also, the distinction between "endogenous" and ("exogenous" or "situational") depression has recently been recognized as misleading, since both environmental/situational and temperamental/internal factors are thought to contribute to most depression.
If you're reading a scientific article about depression and you come across the term "endogenous depression," it's most likely referring to what DSM-IV calls major depression with "melancholic features." The diagnostic criteria can be found on various web sites (a simple search should turn up a number of pages where you can find information on this condition).
Another subtype of depression which is relevant to treatment selection is called "atypical depression." Again, information about this subtype can be found in many places on the web.
-elizabeth
Posted by Rosa on November 2, 2001, at 7:03:52
In reply to Re: Types of depression, posted by Elizabeth on October 26, 2001, at 17:01:08
Is there such a thing as "romantic" depression? Usually other people are involved where depression exists. Often it is stress related, financial, or relational.
> > Can someone tell me the difference between Clinical depression and Chronic, recurring depression. Which is more severe? Is one a chemical imbalance?
>
> "Clinical" depression just means that the depression is serious enough to be considered an illness requiring treatment. Serious clinical depression can be chronic or can come in recurring episodes, or it may be chronic with recurring "flare-ups."
>
> "Chemical imbalance" is a vague expression. I don't think it actually means anything.
>
> Also, the distinction between "endogenous" and ("exogenous" or "situational") depression has recently been recognized as misleading, since both environmental/situational and temperamental/internal factors are thought to contribute to most depression.
>
> If you're reading a scientific article about depression and you come across the term "endogenous depression," it's most likely referring to what DSM-IV calls major depression with "melancholic features." The diagnostic criteria can be found on various web sites (a simple search should turn up a number of pages where you can find information on this condition).
>
> Another subtype of depression which is relevant to treatment selection is called "atypical depression." Again, information about this subtype can be found in many places on the web.
>
> -elizabeth
Posted by Elizabeth on November 9, 2001, at 21:28:00
In reply to Re: Types of depression, posted by Rosa on November 2, 2001, at 7:03:52
> Is there such a thing as "romantic" depression? Usually other people are involved where depression exists. Often it is stress related, financial, or relational.
Types of depression are typically identified by signs and symptoms, not by the putative "cause." However, people who have atypical depression are generally very sensitive to rejection, and can become depressed as a result of a maladaptive response to romantic rejection. Is that what you're talking about?
-e
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