Cuppkake

I need passion. Not obedience.

Warning: The problem with mood reactivity within atypical depression is that it perpetuates the myth that depression is merely a state of mind, not a disease of mental illness, and that victims should just snap out of it. Because atypical depression sufferers can seem to come out of their depressed state when good news comes about (the birth of a baby, a hot date, a lottery win, or other uplifting knowledge), this may lead people with limited or no understanding of depression to assume that happy announcements are all it takes to “cure” depression. This is simply not true.

http://depressiond.com/atypical-depression/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atypical_depression

It shares many of the typical symptoms of a Major Depressive Episode, but being characterized by mood reactivity in response to positive events.

Individuals with atypical features tend to report an earlier age of onset (e.g. while in high school) in their depressive episode, which also tend to be more chronic and only have partial remission between episodes. 

Causes greater functional impairment than other forms of depression.

Patients with atypical depression are more likely to suffer from personality disorders and anxiety disorders such as: Borderline Personality Disorder, Avoidant Personality Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

The DSM-IV-TR defines Atypical Depression as a subtype of Major Depressive Disorder with Atypical Features, characterized by:

a) Mood reactivity (i.e., mood brightens in response to actual or potential positive events)

b) At least two of the following:

• Significant weight gain or increase in appetite;
• Hypersomnia (sleeping too much, as opposed to the insomnia present in melancholic depression);
• Leaden paralysis (i.e., heavy, leaden feelings in arms or legs);
• Long-standing pattern of interpersonal rejection sensitivity (not limited to episodes of mood disturbance) that results in significant social or occupational impairment.

c) Criteria are not met for With Melancholic Features or With Catatonic Features during the same episode.

The older class of antidepressants, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), may be more effective at treating atypical depression.

http://www.workpsych.com/newsweek2.html

Symptoms

• Depressed mood often lasts for years, starting in teens or twenties.
• Mild to moderate depressed mood comes and goes in cycles.
• Depressed mood can lift during the depressive phase, though only temporarily.
• Decreased energy level, often feeling physically lethargic, at times feeling unable to move.
• Increased sleep time (given the chance), sometimes with trouble falling asleep as well.
• Increased appetite, often with cravings for sweets, chocolates or carbohydrates.
• Increased emotional sensitivity to personal slights, criticisms, rejections.

All symptoms don’t have to be present. Some aren’t aware of how depressed they are, because they feel that way most of the time.

Other people instinctively compensate for the symptoms: they diet, they stay on a rigid sleep schedule, push themselves to overcome their lack of energy and they study their relationships carefully to protect against possible rejections.

People who have atypical depression are at higher risk for a more serious and sudden major depression.

Atypical depression often occurs together with panic disorder (a common anxiety disorder) and can be accompanied by problems with drug or alcohol abuse. 

“childhood exposure to family violence and rejection is associated with heightened sensitivity to rejection…”

“These anxious expectations of rejection make them hypervigilant for signs of rejection. When they encounter rejection cues, however minimal or ambiguous, they readily perceive intentional rejection and experience feelings of rejection. The perceived rejection is then likely to prompt both affective and behavioral overreactions, which may include anger and hostility, despondency, withdrawal of support, jealousy, and inappropriate attempts to control the significant other’s behavior.”

“people who enter a relationship disposed to anxiously expect rejection from significant others should be likely to (a) perceive intentional rejection in their partner’s insensitive or ambiguous behaviors, (b) feel insecure and unhappy about their relationship, and (c) respond to perceived rejection or threats of rejection by their partner with hostility, diminished support, or jealous, controlling behavior.”

“people who were highly sensitive to rejection when they entered into a romantic relationship were prone to interpret their new partner’s negative behavior, such as being distant or inattentive, as motivated by hurtful intent.”

“It may also lead rejection-sensitive women to stop investing in the relationship, which may account for their decreased positivity.”

“Consistent with this suggestion is the finding that atypical depression, which is characterized by extreme sensitivity and emotional reactivity to perceived rejection, is more common in women than men (American Psychiatric Association, 1994).”

Popular = confidence in superficial relationships?

Parenting discourse = issues arise in deeper relationships?

http://socialrelations.psych.columbia.edu/images/stories/docs/publications/(14)RS_Intimate_Relationships.pdf