Posted by PC_Load_Letter on December 20, 2009, at 13:31:09
In reply to Atypical Depression versus Bipolar Depression, posted by SLS on December 14, 2009, at 7:26:02
My depression is atypical unipolar, and it is not at all mood-reactive - that is to say it does not improve when positive events occur. It does, however, respond modestly to psychotherapy and exercise.
This similarity between atypical and bipolar depression is, in my view, significant; it supports the hypothesis that both disorders are part of a common spectrum. Thanks for bringing it up.
> Atypical depression and bipolar depression look very similar. Anergia and reverse vegetative symptoms predominate (hypersomnia, hyperphagia, and leaden paralysis). However, mood-reactivity seems to be a feature specific to atypical depression, although it does not always manifest. This is still being debated. It may be that there is a great deal of misunderstanding between posting members of Psycho-Babble when an atypical compares themself to a bipolar and doesn't understand why the bipolar is not reactive to the same things that they are. Perhaps this includes psychotherapy and exercise.
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> Has anyone noted other differences between atypical and bipolar depressions?
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> - Scott
poster:PC_Load_Letter
thread:929182
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20091217/msgs/930006.html