Did You Know There Are, At Least, 8 Types of Depression? Depression is often used as an overarching diagnosis, but there are several, specific types By Kim Easton-Smith Sarah MasonGetty Images As with all mental illnesses, depression isn't an easy-to-define condition, and there are lots of variations. We might describe ourselves conversationally as feeling 'depressed' if we're a bit down, but medical depression is a formal term that covers a variety of depressive conditions – some very common and some relatively rare. Labels aren't always necessary, and they vary from country to country. But it can be helpful to know what to look out for. Here are the main types of depression recognised by professionals...