Atypical depression

Atypical depression is a situation in which an individual gets overwhelmed to the point of emotional paralysis. Patients can suffer from social phobia, personality disorder, or body dysmorphic disorder. This disorder mostly develops in teenagers and women.

Symptoms of Atypical Depression:

-extreme sensitivity or reaction to rejection can cause difficulty in handling relationships both at work & at home.
-increase in body weight and appetite especially for chocolates.
-loss of interest in normal activities; depressed and/or guilt mood all day
-heaviness and aches in arms and legs i.e. having feeling of being weighed down and paralysed
-restlessness or rundown, easily noticeable by others
-recurring thoughts of suicide attempt
-increased fatigue and having the feeling of being overworked
- hypersomnia or insomnia
-difficulty in concentrating

Treatment of Atypical depression:

1. Anti-depressant medication and mood-stabilizing drugs:
-Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs): this can have dangerous side-effects
-Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): has fewer side-effects but is less effective than MAOIs
Natural treatments can be very effective and will not cause any side effects.
1. Psychotherapy or Cognitive therapy: This talk therapy is as effective as MAOIs
2. Electroconvulsive therapy: most effective yet stigmatised therapy. In this therapy, seizures are electrically induced for therapeutic effect in anesthetized patients. There are other natural treatments such as counselling and natural therapies that can be very effective

one should immediately consult a doctor if he or she shows symptoms of atypical depression. With proper treatment, most patients get better and behave normal as before.