Atypical depression: Are you a victim of this?

New Delhi: It's World Health Day today! And the World Health Organisation (WHO) is urging people to talk about depression, which is a major risk factor for suicides and the leading cause of ill health and disability.

Mainly focusing on adolescents and young adults, WHO chose 'Depression: Let's Talk' as the theme of this year's World Health Day, celebrated each year on April 7 across the globe.

The theme represents that depression is certainly preventable and treatable despite the fact that although, about 50% of cases of major depression still go untreated.

The main goal is that more people with depression, everywhere in the world, both seek help and get help.

Even as we talk about 'depression', let’s take a look at other versions of “high functioning” depression, particularly - atypical depression - on this World Health Day.

Dr Era Dutta, M.B.B.S, M.D Psychiatry, Consultant Psychiatrist and Life wellness coach, recounts how a well groomed 22-year-old working in a MNC was diagnosed with atypical depression.

“Reported that she prefers to sleep all day long nowadays and eating excessively, 'stress eating', she quipped. On exploring she said she felt tired all the time, like her whole body is heavy, even after sleeping all day long. She had become very sensitive if her friends wouldn’t call her for an outing or if her best friend didn’t answer the phone. Her mood however, changed with situation, she was “happy” every once in a while when in company,” Dr Era said.

Dr Era said that there has been a sharp rise in “atypical depression”, especially amongst the young.

As lay individuals we always related depression to - constant sad mood, not sleeping much and practically skipping all meals, which is not always the case. But atypical depression is characterised by :

• Sleeping too much (hypersomnia)

• Increased appetite or weight gain

• Having a more intense reaction or increased sensitivity to rejection, resulting in problems with social and work relationships

• Having a feeling of being weighed down, paralyzed, or "leaden"

She said that unfortunately, a lot of them put on weight due to sleeping all day, and over-eating, thereby getting the title “sloth”.

But if you know someone who is trying to fill every moment of the day by sleeping, avoiding others, being too sensitive and overeating, it is time you try to talk to them.

As an addition to this year’s theme of #LetsTalk, I think we should all first become good listeners and #LetsListenFirst, added Dr Era.