What is the Difference Between Bipolar Depression and Other Depressions

This depressive disorder has been known to be with us since man started recording history. We read in the Old Testament, Job as well as the famous King David, suffered from this terrible illness. Hippocrates the Greek physician called depression, a black bile (melancholia). A clinical depression is a serious medical disorder that is negative in nature which affects how we feel, think and act. It has been written in literature arts for many, many years, but what does it mean when we refer to this mental illness – depressive disorder or a bipolar depression disorder? In the last century, depression was portrayed as a weakness of temperament which was inherited. Only in the beginning of the 20th century did Freud link the progress of depression to guilt with conflict.

The Two Divisions of Depression

During the middle of this century depression was divided into two:

• Endogenous: depression is a problem coming from within the body and probably linked to a genetic origin. It may also be caused by the body itself but nobody knows its source. Bipolar depression falls under this category.

• Neurotic or reactive: depression is caused from outside, like the death of a loved one, losing somebody special and the loss of the only source of income. In 70s and the 80s, the focus changed from “the cause”, to the “effects” of depression on victims.

In Agreement

We may never know what causes depression or bipolar depression, but most would agree that:

• It is a syndrome that reflects severe sad, irritable mood which can be classed as abnormal sadness or grief. These feelings of sadness of depression  are both intense and takes a long time when compared to the normal ups and downs.

•The  characteristics are the presence of negative thoughts, moods, and behaviors and not to mention the physical symptoms like, crying spells, aches in the body, very low energy in both work and sex. Other problems may include eating, weight  and sleeping problems.

• Depression increases the risks for coronary artery disease, HIV, asthma, and some other medical diseases. It can also increase the mortality rate  of victims with this depressive conditions.

• The huge financial and human costs of depression in the United States alone are huge and this includes -  treatment costs, other indirect costs, like lost in productivity and absenteeism of workers.

Bipolar Depression

The unique trait of this illness is, it's not the outside that is causing the depression, but the brain producing its lows with the feelings of worry, sad, angry, guilt, isolation and hopelessness. This disorder is caused by the brain’s neurotransmitters which can cause sleeping and eating problems and a shift in moods.

Problems with Not Treating

Like most serious diseases, bipolar depression can create problems with those living together, members of the family, close friends, and your boss at work. With family members of those with bipolar depression it can drain out the energy level of family members.

Bipolar Treatment Depression

Bipolar depression can be inherited within families and if you find that a member of your family or a friend are showing symptoms of bipolar depression like sleeping too much, sad, feelings of helpless, worthless, hopeless with decreased energy and concentration, please seek medical advice near you so they can be given bipolar treatment early.