Quote:
Originally Posted by magictoy
I wonder if someone is interested in explaining the difference between bipolar and unipolar depression, and for that matter, what the "clinical" part of "clinical depression" means.
Yes, I could Google it, but with this much up-close experience, I have a feeling that something from one of the posters might be better.
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First off, most depression is episodic.
Bipolar disorder is, in the most essential terms, when someone cycles between being manic and being depressive. With my mother, it was like watching someone on a roller coaster--sometimes the highest highs and other times the lowest lows. Some people cycle more quickly than others, and can go through several cycles between manic and depressive rapidly. Some people are more manic or more depressive. There is a huge variety.
Unipolar depression is when there is no mania--the person is only experiencing episodes of depression. It's another term used for clinical depression. "Clinical" means the depression is severe enough to warrant treatment, such as medication.