A characteristic feature of atypical depression is mood reactivity, namely the individual's ability to still respond positively to positive environmental stimuli. This characteristic is a factor that distinguishes atypical depression from a major depression or dysthymia. Patients affected by these conditions very rarely experience an elevated mood when something positive happens. Mood reactivity is termed "criterion A" for atypical depression.

Other than that, in order to diagnose an episode of atypical depression, at least two of the following symptoms must be present alongside mood reactivity ("criterion B"):

• Excessive need for sleep (hypersomnia)
• Increased appetite/weight gain
• Leaden paralysis: The feeling of being so heavy one is unable to move, as though burdened with lead.
• Interpersonal rejection sensitivity which causes problems in personal life or work, reacting excessively when one feels that they are being rejected.

Atypical depression is considered a "specifier" for major depression or dysthymic disorder, namely it is used to better evaluate the course of these conditions and characterize them. It is common for patients with atypical depression to have experienced at least one episode of major depression, usually at a young age.

• Hypersomnia

  OBJECTIVE: In this study, we used a strict definition of hypersomnia and tested if the association between overeating-hypersomnia remained positive and significant. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

  Atypical depression was based on the finding of symptoms consistent with depression, hypersomnia, and hyperphagia. [aafp.org]

• Crying

  Baby Me Quotes Crying Someday Sad Tumblr Math Equations [pinterest.com.mx]

  Symptoms of Atypical Depression These are some of the common signs of atypical depression: Depression Irritability Lack of energy Insomnia or excessive sleep Feelings of hopelessness Loss of enjoyment in life Concentration problems Uncontrollable crying [gomentor.com]

  I don't sit around crying, I don't have days when I can't get out of my bed because I'm "sad" (although plenty of days where I have had to go back to bed, or that I've been just too tired to get out of bed) - I have friends, I have lots of things that [cptsd.org]

  It was hard for me to identify this as depression because I had a set idea of depression as crying, deep sadness, suicidal thoughts...etc. I would love to hear your experiences with atypical depression. [depressionforums.org]

• Overeating

  Study aim was to compare a definition of AD requiring only oversleeping and overeating (reversed vegetative symptoms) to the DSM-IV AD definition (always requiring mood reactivity, plus overeating/weight gain, oversleeping, leaden paralysis, and interpersonal [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

• Loss of Appetite

  Instead of loss of appetite, you may overeat and/or gain weight. Instead of being numb or just uniformly sad, you have high mood reactivity, or mood swings. [freethoughtblogs.com]

  An important further distinction is that “typical” depression is commonly associated with loss of appetite and weight loss, whereas “atypical” depression typically involves increased appetite (comfort eating), often with significant weight gain. [drsharma.ca]

  It is contrasted with "melancholic" depression, another subtype of depression, involving symptoms of insomnia (rather than oversleeping ), loss of appetite (rather than increased appetite), a relative lack of mood reactiveness to environmental circumstances [webmd.com]

• Bulimia Nervosa

  RESULTS: Seventeen (17.8%) percent of AD met the DSM-IV criteria for Bulimia Nervosa (BN+). [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

• Arthralgia

  Initial interest in this axis was generated by the observation that Addison's disease (primary adrenal gland hypofunction), like CFS, produces fatigue, myalgia, arthralgia, sleep and mood disturbance. [scielo.br]

• Fear

  Abstract Analyses of a systematic household sample of 750 respondents aged 11-22, 19 with atypical depression, find atypical depression associated with fear of fat, insomnia, headache, and fatigue. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

  […] include: 1) increased appetite (on-going hunger) and weight gain; 2) sleep disturbances (sleepiness or excessive sleep); 3) heavy feelings of arms and legs during and after sleep; 4) feeling anxious, problematic relationships and increased sensitivity (fear [women-info.com]

  Other atypical depression symptoms often seen but that are not specifically part of the diagnosis include: Relationship conflicts Trouble maintaining long-term relationships Fear of rejection that leads to avoidance of relationships Atypical Depression [healthyplace.com]

• Anger

  Post-treatment, relative to the non-atypical comparison group, the atypical group had significantly higher scores on the dimension of Neuroticism, the facets of Impulsivity and Anger-Hostility, and a significantly lower score on the facet of Deliberation [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

  Discussion- Irritable mood, anger directed outwards could be part of agitated/hostile depression (also termed depression with anger attacks). In such cases anger is the most prominent symptom of underlying depression. [priory.com]

  Examples of these shared traits include a tendency toward impulsive behavior, a relatively poor ability to think clearly, relatively easy provocation to anger, and a tendency toward anxiety, envy, and worry. [elementsbehavioralhealth.com]

  Journaling, as part of your treatment, may improve your mood by allowing you to express pain, anger, fear or other emotions. Read reputable self-help books and websites. Your doctor or therapist may be able to recommend helpful resources. [drugs.com]

  So far I have been told that Effexor and the dreaded SSRIs can help and since i am not prone to anger/rage or seizures i am leaning toward bupropion as it has been FDA approved for specific types of depression mainly Atypical Medications commonly used [socialanxietysupport.com]

• Suicidal Ideation

  Prior suicidal attempts are associated with increased sIL-1RA, IL-1α, zCMI, TBARS and zCMI+TBARS, while TBARS is associated with current suicidal ideation. CONCLUSIONS: There are no I&O biomarker differences between MDD and BD. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

  Refractory Depression (defined as failure to respond to one or more adequate trials of marketed antidepressants [i.e., >=2/3 PDR maximum dose for at least 4 weeks] during current episode) Serious suicidal ideation, recent (past six months) suicidal activity [clinicaltrials.gov]

  Additional exclusion criteria included a Beck Depression Inventory score greater than 31 (extreme depression), any medical disorder that altered the HPA axis, suicidal ideation, abnormal thyroid stimulating hormone levels (less than 0.28 uIU/ml or greater [bmcmusculoskeletdisord.biomedcentral.com]

• Low Self-Esteem

  Risk factors include: Depression that started when you were a teen or child History of bipolar disorder Abuse of alcohol or illegal drugs Physical or sexual abuse Traumatic childhood experiences Certain personality traits, such as low self-esteem or being [fortishealthcare.com]

  "Dysthymia has a number of typical characteristics: low energy and drive, low self-esteem, and a low capacity for pleasure in everyday life. [cptsd.org]

  Those who have a history of bipolar disorder or abusing alcohol and/or drugs, personality traits such as co-dependency or low self-esteem may develop a depressive disorder. [betterhealthsolutions.org]

  Prominent symptoms can be depress mood, low energy, low self esteem, feeling of hopelessness (2) In dysthymia, vegetative symptoms of depression like sleep and appetite disturbance are less common. [priory.com]

• Suicidal Depression

  RESULTS: Attempters showed significantly higher rates of atypical depression, family history of completed suicide, depression at index episode and cluster B personality disorder. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

• Sexual Dysfunction

  Atypical depression responds to monoamine oxidase inhibitors, or MAOIs, a class of antidepressants that has adverse side effects such as sexual dysfunction and weight gain. These side effects often dissuade patients from continuing treatment. [livestrong.com]

• Headache

  Abstract Analyses of a systematic household sample of 750 respondents aged 11-22, 19 with atypical depression, find atypical depression associated with fear of fat, insomnia, headache, and fatigue. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

  […] symptoms: Sadness Loss of energy Feeling of hopelessness Inability to enjoy life Difficulty in concentration Uncontrolled tearfulness Difficulty to make decisions Irritability Insomnia or sleepiness Dental pain or digestive disorder Loss of interest in sex Headaches [undepress.net]

  Impossibility of enjoying the favorite activities Difficulty in focusing Uncontrolled tearfulness Difficulty to make a decision Irritability Increased need for sleep Insomnia or increased drowsiness Dental pain or digestive disorder Decreased libido Headaches [treat-depression.com]

  Depression Irritability Lack of energy Insomnia or excessive sleep Feelings of hopelessness Loss of enjoyment in life Concentration problems Uncontrollable crying Trouble making decisions Digestive problems Decreased sex drive and other sexual problems Headaches [gomentor.com]

• Hyperactivity

  In melancholia, the stress response seems hyperactive, and patients are anxious, dread the future, lose responsiveness to the environment, have insomnia, lose their appetite, and a diurnal variation with depression at its worst in the morning. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

  In the endocrine model, evidence suggests the HPA axis is hyperactive in melancholic depression, and hypoactive in atypical depression. [en.wikipedia.org]

  Indeed, it has been suggested that prolonged overproduction of glucocorticoids, whether as a result of ongoing stress or a genetic predisposition to HPA axis hyperactivity, damages brain structures (especially the hippocampus) essential for HPA axis restraint [scielo.br]

• Excitement

  Atypical depression presented a distinct cortical excitability pattern of decreased cortical inhibition and increased cortical facilitation, that is, an increased mean ICF and SICI ratios than other depression subtypes (d = 0.22-0.33, P < 0.01 for all [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

  Dopamine gives the brain drive, motivation, excitement about new things and life’s pleasures; when you take it away you lack energy, interest in life, motivation and just want to sleep a lot. [balancingbrainchemistry.co.uk]

• Sciatica

  Afectiuni tratabile cu bioenergie Telefon contact: 0744/162 143 ADENOMUL DE PROSTATA CIRCULATIE SANGUINA FIBROM UTERIN PROSTATITA AFECTIUNI GINECOLOGICE CIROZA HEPATICA GLAUCOM SCIATICA ALERGII CHISTURI OVARIENE GASTRITA SPASMOFILIE ALCOOLISMUL CHISTURI [cabinet-bioenergie.ro]

  POLIPI NAZAL – PROBLEME ALE CAILOR RESPIRATORII – PROBLEME STOMATOLOGICE – PROSTATA – RACELI – FEBRA – FRISOANE – RAU DE MARE, DE AVION, DE MASINA – RELATII SEXUALE – RELAXARE – RINICHI – RINITA (CORIZA) – RUJEOLA (POJAR) – SARCINA – SCHIZOFRENIE – SCIATICA [noutati.energoterapie-reiki.ro]

Any recent or present episode of dysthymia or bipolar disorder can be termed as "bearing atypical characteristics" according to DSM-IV [10]. In order to achieve a successful and accurate diagnosis, a doctor must bear in mind that the feature distinctly distinguishing atypical depression from other psychiatric disorders is mood reactivity. A person is considered to be reactive, when they experience a mood elevation of at least 50% when a positive event takes place (a compliment, a raise, a date, etc.).

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), specifically phenelzine, have proven to address atypical depression with great efficacy. In spite of the existence of several FDA-licensed MAOIs for the treatment of major depression, phenelzine is the only drug that has received a clear indication for the treatment of atypical depression. Nevertheless, doctors tend to refrain from widely using MAOIs as first-line treatment, due to their possible interaction with diet-acquired tyramine, it could result in a life-threatening hypertensive crisis. Furthermore, there is always the risk of drug-drug interactions, which could trigger a serotonin syndrome. For these reasons, various other antidepressants are implemented as first-line treatments for atypical depression [12]. 

The use of MAOIs has assisted researchers in the so called psychopharmacological dissection of atypical depression, the classification of disease sub-categories based on the response to medication. A group of patients whose symptoms are aided by MAOIs in comparison to tricyclic antidepressants or electroconvulsive therapy has been a valid observation.

The existence of randomized clinical trials suggesting the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for this subtype (fluoxetine vs phenelzine, fluoxetine vs moclobemide, fluoxetine vs imipramine, fluoxetine vs nortriptyline and sertraline vs moclobemide) has also broken new ground. Fluoxetine has been proven to be effective for atypical depression, with patients responding positively at a rate of 65% [13].

Other types of medication that have shown effectiveness in the treatment of atypical depression according to open-label, randomized or controlled studies include hypericum, gepirone, modafinil, melatonin and GH. In addition to this, newer antidepressants like duloxetine, venlafaxine and mirtazapine may be used towards achieving a therapeutic result, but still remain an uninvestigated option.

During the acute phase of an atypical depression episode, a patient may also benefit more from cognitive therapy in contradistinction to pharmacologic treatment.

Atypical depression needs early intervention, which can help an individual manage their symptoms and minimize suffering. Comorbidities include somatization disorder, substance abuse (drugs, medications, etc.), cluster B and C personality disorders and increased anxiety.

It is impossible to define the exact causes leading to atypical depression. Possible factors may involve:

• Childhood trauma: Given the psychological sensitivity of a child, particularly in the early life, incidents such as the death of a parent or child abuse can lead to the individual being more prone to depression.

• Incidents in adult life: Stress, financial issues, disease, dysfunctional interpersonal relationships or the death of a loved one can also trigger a depression.

• Hereditary factors: Depression is more frequently observed in individuals whose blood relatives suffer from the same condition.

• Biological factors: There has been a suggestion that depression may occur when neurotransmitters are dysfunctional.

The characterization of "atypical" refers to the DSM criteria for other mood disorders. In this sense, atypical does not imply that a disorder is unusual or rare, but rather that it cannot be classified as an already existing mood disorder, even though they may share lots of common features. Atypical depression is, in reality, a common disorder [2].

Atypical depression was found to be affecting a 4.5% of women and a 1.2% of men in a study conducted in Zurich, Switzerland. Another research indicated the lifetime prevalence of the disorder to be amounting to a 0.7% [6].

Women are more frequently affected by this condition at a rate of 2:1 to 3:1 when compared to men. Some patients tend to display a chronic unmanageable course of major depression, rather than a typical depression [1]. Episodes start at a younger age [3] [4] and monozygotic twins usually both display the disorder, which suggests a possible genetic factor [5]. 

The DSM-IV classification provides accurate characteristics and symptomatology for atypical depression, however, little is known about the actual mechanisms causing the condition. Therefore, data is limited to hypotheses.

Biological hypothesis

Hormonal axis

One study used a group of patients meeting the full atypical depression criteria, a group displaying mood reactivity as the only atypical symptom and a control group with no atypical symptoms. Desipramine (selective NRI (noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor)) was administered to all three groups, with the patients exhibiting the full set of atypical symptoms showing an increased cortisole response when compared to the others. This led to the suggestion that in patients with atypical depression, the noradrenaline system is less affected [7]. Furthermore, patients with atypical depression have been found to be free of corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) hypersecretion, in contradistinction to patients suffering of typical depression. In fact, the CRH levels of atypical patients have been found to be lower even in comparison to healthy individuals [8].

Brain hemispheric bias

Atypical depression is distinct from its typical counterpart in the means of the brain region they originate. Atypical depression favors the right parietal lobe, whereas typical depression the left parietal lobe [9]. With reference to perfusion, increased right frontal lobe perfusion is seen in patients with atypical depression and typical depression exhibits diminished perfusion in all regions but the occipital lobe [10].

Psychological hypothesis

Parker et al [11] have suggested that atypical depression may indeed be a spectrum disorder, although their propositions have yet to be proven. Personality and temper evaluation of patients with both typical and atypical depression was used to determine the primary psychological triggers of atypical depression. Conclusions that were drawn, pointed out to the importance of interpersonal rejection sensitivity as a primary cause. People that generally tended to overreact to real or imagined rejection also went on to exhibit increased anxiety, hypersomnia and increased appetite. [11]   

Given that there is no known cause for depression, one can simply follow advice on how to lead a stress-free life in order to reduce the chances of getting depressed:

• Try to control the levels of stress. Recognize the situations you can influence and those you cannot. Try to evaluate the severity of a situation with a clear head, before panicking. 
• Talk, people are social beings. You will see that sharing a problem with close people helps you to deal with it.
• If you think you are depressed, consult an expert. Getting professional help early prevents a depression from settling firmly.
• Consider the possibility of getting long-term professional help to prevent symptoms from re-emerging.

The DSM-IV defines atypical depression as a disorder characterized by symptoms of increased appetite and weight gain, excessive need for sleep, interpersonal rejection sensitivity, "leaden" paralysis and a reactive mood [1]. Episodes exhibiting the aforementioned characteristics occur during the course of longitudinal mood disorders (bipolar disorder, dysthymia or major depression). Therefore, in order to decisively diagnose an episode of atypical depression, a patient needs first of all to accurately meet the DSM specified criteria for a longitudinal mood disorder, atypical symptoms alone do not suffice to diagnose such an episode [1]. Atypical depression is viewed as a vital specifier, helping to manage patients with longitudinal mood disorders and better characterize the course of their condition. 

Given that such a disorder already exists, in order for an episode to be established as an atypical episode, the following criteria must be met [1]:

• Mood reactivity to environmental stimuli and at least 2 other symptoms must dominate the most recent 2-week period of an episode related to major depression or bipolar disorder.
• Mood reactivity to environmental stimuli and at least 2 other symptoms must be present in the most recent 2 years of a dysthymic disorder.

Atypical depression was established as a clinical entity in 1994, it was then that it was classified as  an “episode specifier” in DSM-IV classification.

Atypical depression is a type of the depression that has some different characteristics from its typical "counterpart". Even though the term atypical might strike one as odd, rare or unusual, this disorder is actually a very common one. Because depression is a factor that may lower the quality of your life and prevent you from doing many things you would normally like to do, it is important that you keep in mind the following signs, should you ever experience one of them:

• Increased hunger, leading to weight gain
• A need to sleep too much, more than usual
• A feeling that your legs are heavy as though made from lead, that makes it unpleasant or difficult for you to move
• Difficulty maintaining balanced relationships with friends or coworkers, because you feel too rejected or insulted all the time
• Sudden mood enhancement when good news crop up, which is then followed by depressed feelings again

It is important to get professional help if you have the suspicion that you may have an atypical form of depression. It is nothing to be ashamed of, it is quite common, mostly among women, and it does not mean that you are faulty or irreparably damaged. Also, do keep in mind that such problems, if left untreated, may lead to complications that include:

• Suicidal tendencies
• Isolation
• Phobias and panic disorder
• Obesity and heart-related conditions or diabetes
• Substance abuse
• Dysfunctional relationships at work, in the family, at school which can further worsen the problems already present.

There are also many treatment options for atypical depression. Depending on the severity, patients may need medication, counseling or a combination of these. Do not hesitate to reach out to a psychologist, psychiatrist or other mental health expert, early intervention can help you get life back on track and continue living your life to a full extent.

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4. Stewart JW, McGrath PJ, Quitkin FM. Do age of onset and course of illness predict different treatment outcome among DSM IV depressive disorders with atypical features? Neuropsychopharmacology. 2002 Feb; 26 (2): 237-45.
5. Kendler KS, Eaves LJ, Walters EE, et al. The identifica-tion and validation of distinct depressive syndromes in a population-based sample of female twins. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1996 May; 53 (5): 391-9.
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