2 General Types of Depression Typical Versus Atypical
NYC psychiatrist Robert D. McMullen has been practicing in the USA for more than three decades. He is a psychopharmacology specialist that also uses Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to help clients overcome depressed states of living. TMS has now been practiced in the USA for nearly a decade and many clients have experienced relief from this treatment when nothing else helped. Dr. McMullen has four different machines available for treating patients using TMS.
Dr. McMullen attended medical school at the prestigious Georgetown University in Washington D.C. Afterwards, he completed his medical residency in NYC at Columbia University. To book an appointment with Dr. McMullen, contact his office staff at 212 362-9635. Also, if you find this video helpful, please press like and share with your friends!
Typical Versus Atypical
Typical depression is most common among people. Symptoms are not out of the ordinary and can easily be identified. These symptoms include:
- Sleeplessness
- Waking up in the middle of the night and being unable to return to sleep
- Decrease in Appetite
- Dramatic weight loss
- Uneasily humored
- Unexcited response to positive outcomes
- Low self-esteem
- Lethargic
- Poor concentration
- Regretful
Symptoms associated with the Atypical designation vary from Typical in the following ways:
- Oversleeping
- Unable to get up in the morning
- Increased appetite
- Dramatic weight gain
- Highly reactive and overly sensitive
- Can’t handle rejection
- Can be humored
A major cause of both types is isolation. For centuries, people have lived closely in packs. Human beings are innately social beings and when a person feels excluded from the pack it leads to insecurity, discontentment, and sadness.
Today, it is not uncommon in NYC, as well as all over the USA, for an adult to live completely alone. With busy work schedules and high-stress lifestyles, some people end up slowly retreating from their social lives. Before long, they’ve lost contact with most of their close friends and aren’t seeing many people at all. It is extremely important for these individuals to seek healthy and active social lives, otherwise, they become at risk for experiencing depressed episodes.
Atypical people cycle in and out of their moods, similar to bipolar disorder but on a much milder level. They go through periods of prolonged ups, as well as downs. This cyclical experience can be destabilizing and dramatically affect life choices and outcomes. Research has shown that all people cycle through different moods, however, the change in mood is not dramatic enough to disrupt the person’s life. An atypical individual may experience such a large dip downward in mood that the person is unable to get out of bed for weeks.
Treatment with Antidepressants for Atypical
SSRIs were effective for many years, however, over time have become treatment resistance. Instead of waiting to reach this breaking point, individuals using SSRIs should be switched to an MAO inhibitor. However, many doctors are cautious about placing their patients on MAO inhibitors because it will cause diet restrictions.
Individuals using MAO inhibitors cannot eat large amounts of cheese. Though micro-amounts cause very little issues, large amounts can cause the person’s blood pressure to rise and put the person at greater risk of heart attack. Individuals are advised to be mindful of their cheese intake and also keep an anecdote on hand for lowering blood pressure quickly. These individuals should also take a low dosage of lithium, which is effective in treating depression, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and other neurological psychiatric disorders.
The Problem with Not Getting Help and Danger of Ruminating on the Past
Asking for help is crucial to the safety of a person who suffers from feeling deeply depressed. People who don’t address their needs are more likely to reach their breaking point. For example, suicide rates amongst physicians are amongst some of the highest in the professional workforce. Individuals in this high-pressure position may not be seeking help from their mental health peers enough. Sudden and unexpected suicides are not uncommon and may have been preventable if the physician had chosen to ask for help and pursue the treatment needed.
As mentioned before, suicide rates are higher amongst individuals that do not suffer from typical depression. These people tend to have difficulty ruminating over the past. Their bad life choices seem to eat them alive, as they’re tormented by memories that they are unable to erase. This inability to let go of regret is inescapable and can feel torturous. This obsessive behavior is treatable with medication and can be very dangerous without it.
Check out our 2 locations
NYC Psychiatrist Robert D. McMullen, MD Video about Typical Depression vs Atypical Depression Treatment & TMS
