Unipolar depression: GCSE Psychology Definition

What is Unipolar Depression?

Unipolar depression is where a person experiences just one emotional state, which is depression. It is a mental disorder that can affect a person in many different ways: physically, psychologically, emotionally, and socially. The characteristics of unipolar depression are likely to be different from person to person (and not everyone will exhibit the same symptoms), but they will include very low mood, sadness, reduced energy levels, disrupted sleep (insomnia or sleeping too much), overeating or not eating enough, loss of interest in activities that once brought joy, negative views of the world and the self, lack of motivation and difficulty making decisions.

Sadness is not the same as unipolar depression, which tends to be temporary and the result of a sad event (e.g., a bereavement), whereas depression may arrive without warning and last a long time. Depression (although widely experienced by many people) is classified as abnormal behaviour as it is not usual or mentally healthy to feel sad all the time.

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