What is the Difference Between Unipolar Depression and Bipolar Depression?

All human brains can experience depression, but there is more than one kind of depression. The most common depression is situational where a person goes through a downswing due to a life experience. This depression can often be treated by therapy that is specific to the event, such as grief counseling. In contrast, unipolar and bipolar depression are considered genetic, medical conditions. They often occur without a life experience trigger and usually need a more medical than therapy-based treatment approach.

Depression is often described as weepy, sad, and hopeless, but this is only one type of depression. The other depression, irritated depression, is angry, negative, and complaining. People with irritated depression often go untreated as they are considered bitchy, rude, or negative. Irritated depression can manifest in road rage, punching and kicking tires and walls, yelling and statements, such as “I hate everyone! Leave me alone!” Both unipolar and bipolar depression can either be the typical weepy depression or irritated depression.

There are two genetic mood disorders: unipolar depression and bipolar disorder. Bipolar includes the mood swings bipolar depression and bipolar mania. Unipolar depression and bipolar depression share the same symptoms with three main differences: 1) Bipolar depression is more episodic than unipolar, 2) Bipolar depression is always on the edge of mania, and 3) Due to the mania risk, bipolar depression treatment is different than unipolar depression treatment.