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For people struggling with long-term depression, they may also face accompanying physical, emotional, social, and economic side effects. These conditions are serious, and if you’re concerned with the problems that long-term depression may bring, your concerns are valid and deserving of care. This article will help clarify the effects of long-term depression, and outline potential paths you can explore to find the best type of treatment that meets your needs.

What Is Long-Term Depression?

There is no one definition or model for long-term depression. Several different diagnoses may be given depending on your situation. The diagnosis you receive for your long-term depression often depends on how long you have had depression, and the symptoms of depression with which your body and mind present. There are four main types of long-term depression:

Dysthymia

Dysthymia, also called persistent depressive disorder, is depression that lasts for two years or more even with treatment. With dysthymia, symptoms of depression may not be as severe as with major depressive disorder, but they are consistently present for a long period regardless of treatment.

Double Depression

Double depression is defined as a bout of major depressive disorder soon after a diagnosis of dysthymia. In other words, with double depression, you go from one milder but long-term depression into a more severe major depression. While this can be difficult to treat at the start, there are options such as therapy and counseling that can help improve your quality of life.

Chronic Major Depressive Disorder

Major depressive disorder is clinical depression that lasts for at least two weeks. For some people, major depression can last much longer than two weeks. Some people experience long-term depression that is extremely debilitating and can cause major problems for them in their lives. This is the most common form of long-term depression that leads to the most serious effects. Like double depression, there are ways to learn how to address this condition in a healthy manner.

Partial Recovery

It is not uncommon for relapses into major depression or lingering mild depressive symptoms to occur even after the depression is "in remission.” For many people, partial recovery may allow them to function better in society and the workplace, but it may not be enough of a recovery to stop the effects of long-term depression. However, depression is still a very treatable condition, and you are not alone in your search for solutions.

Socioeconomic Effects of Long-term Depression

There are a few socioeconomic effects of long-term depression that may affect your way of life. These social and economic effects of long-term depression are frequently common in people who suffer from depression for many months or years. Like many of the aforementioned issues, the risk for these effects increases as exposure to the stresses of depression continues without care.

Social Isolation

If you are living with long-term depression and feel socially isolated, you are not alone. Many people who have long-term depression report losing interest in activities and things that they once enjoyed. Both a lack of interest and a lack of energy can contribute to a disinterest in going out to social engagements.

For example, you may tire of talking to your friends and having them ask you what wrong all the time is, so you may be tempted to disconnect. A common line of thinking is that you are doing them a favor. But there are healthy and effective strategies to counteract this type of thinking, including reaching out to a trained mental health professional.

 Workplace Performance

Long-term depression can also impact your finances by affecting your workplace performance. Many studies have been done showing that workplace performance often decreases significantly when an individual is severely depressed. Reciprocally, workplace performance often goes up with just a few weeks of treatment.