This is because the elderly are reluctant to seek psychiatric treatment which could help them return to their previous healthy mental health state. This is particularly true among men, who commit suicide at a rate double that of women. If people recognize the symptoms and patterns early and seek treatment, they can avoid much needless suffering Types of Depression. Depression occurs in several forms, and some of these may overlap. In the case of depression, psychiatrists may give more than one diagnosis because the illness is often linked with other problems like substance abuse, eating disorders or anxiety disorders.
Clinical depression refers to a condition serious enough to require professional treatment.
A person who experiences severe depression during a single period is said to have had an episode of clinical depression. More severe or exaggerated symptoms indicate major depression. Psychiatrists call this kind of depression a major depressive disorder. When a person exhibits depressive symptoms on a consistent basis, that person likely suffers from a dysthymic disorder. When a major depressive episode strikes someone with dysthymia, it is called double depression.