Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Atypical Depression and Suicide

Here's something interesting:
Atypical depression common in bipolar disorder suicide attempters

Well, interesting to me. I've never heard of atypical depression, but reading the qualifications in DSM-IV on wiki (gotta love it) it sounds like what I always considered a mixed episode. Well, when this atypical depression is exaggerated. It's a subtype of depression, and involves mood reactivity, specifically positive reactions to "actual or potential positive events." Also, two of the following: weight gain or increased appetite, hypersomnia, leaden paralysis (heavy feeling in extremities), and a "Long-standing pattern of interpersonal rejection sensitivity that results in significant social or occupational impairment." Well, that's my depressions to a "T". I had no idea that the leaden paralysis was a symptom... well, I knew it was a symptom for me, but not that it was official, in the DSM and all.

Just so's ya'll know, typically depression is "melancholic" with loss of pleasure and no mood reactivity to positive events, insomnia, agitation, weight loss, or excessive/inappropriate guilt. That kind used to be more common to me before Effexor XR, and to tell the truth I like the first one better. (Oh, and wiki says tricyclics are no good for those with atypical depression. Which makes sense for me, because I had a seizure two weeks after starting amitriptyline.) Anyways this atypical depression is more livable than melancholic depression, in my opinion. At least when not exaggerated... which has also happened to me. This is why I understand that it could increase your risk for suicide. It's a super rollercoaster if you have positive reactions to good things and then you feel like crap because of "interpersonal rejection." I know I take that stuff too seriously myself - I've broken down crying at work once or twice for that. Which I know is stupid, but can't seem to help myself.

Possibly too much information for all of you, for which I apologize. But there you go, atypical depression. You learn something new every day.

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