The article also compared symptoms between unipolar depression and bipolar depression:
Unipolar Depression and Bipolar Depression shared the following symptoms:
- Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed
- Difficulty sleeping
- Overeating or loss of appetite
- Persistent aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not ease even with treatment
- Thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts.
The additional symptoms for bipolar depression included the following:
- More suicide attempts than with major depressive disorder
- A profound loss of energy.
- Severe depression more likely to include psychotic symptoms
- Onset of depression at a younger age
- More likely to have a co-occurring mental illness, such as OCD, panic disorder or substance abuse.
- More episodes of depression than with unipolar depression
- Use of antidepressant without a mood stabilizer may cause hypomania or mania.