Description

Mood disorders, such as depression and bipolar disorder, affect people emotionally. If you have depression, it is possible that constantly feel sad. You can also be anxiety. If you have bipolar disorder, it is likely that you will have extreme mood swings. Your feelings can range from being very sad, empty, or in a bad mood to be very happy — back and forth between every mood. Mood disorders are more common in women.

Having a mood disorder can increase the risk of suicide. This risk is higher if a mood disorder is serious and you also have problems with alcohol or drugs.

If you are thinking about suicide, please contact a helpline. In the united states, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline . Is available 24 hours a day, every day. Or use the Lifeline Chat . The services are free and private. The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in the united states have a Spanish phone line in 1-888-628-9454 (toll-free).

Types of mood disorders

Mood disorders are divided into two large groups: depressive disorders and bipolar disorders. Each group includes several different types.

Depressive disorders

Depressive disorders cause loss of pleasure in most or all activities and ultimately affect your quality of life. You may have less energy, have difficulty sleeping, difficulty concentrating, changes in appetite and lack of interest. You may also have feelings of worthlessness or guilt, and pain and fatigue.

Types of depressive disorders include:

  • Major depression — usually lasts for at least two weeks and, often, more than four weeks.
  • The seasonal affective disorder occurs at certain times of the year, usually with a change of season.
  • Persistent depressive disorder long-lasting form of depression that causes feelings of sadness, emptiness, and, often, the hopelessness.
  • Disruptive mood disorder of dysregulation — a diagnosis used for children and adolescents. Account with constant, serious and long-lasting testiness with frequent temper outbursts that are not in accordance with the age of the child.
  • Premenstrual dysphoric disorder — characteristics of the changes of mood, hopelessness, and feelings of being overwhelmed or out of control. These symptoms occur in the 10 days before menstruation and disappear within a few days after the period begins.
  • Depression related to a medical condition — features a large loss of pleasure in most or all activities, due to the physical effects of another medical health issue.
  • Depression related to the substance or medicine — characteristics of the symptoms of the depression that began during or shortly after the use of a street drug or medicine, or after the removal of these substances.

Bipolar disorders

Bipolar disorders function of the mood swings that include emotional highs called manic or hypomanic episodes, and low, called depressive episodes. These ups and downs are usually continuous. But you can also change from high to low or low to high, or change it to a normal mood. Sometimes both the highs and lows that can occur together. This is called a mixed episode. It could be that easily distracted and have racing thoughts. The dream could also be affected.

The types include:

  • Bipolar I disorder — characteristics of a constant elevated mood that lasts for at least a week. This is called a manic episode. It affects your overall ability to function and makes it more likely that you are going to take part in risky behaviors.
  • Bipolar II disorder — features are constantly elevated moods called hypomanias that last at least four days and less than a week. There may be risk behaviors, but usually hypomania does not greatly affect your ability to function. But other people should be able to realize that something is different about you.
  • Cyclothymia — features of the shifts from emotional highs to emotional lows that may affect their ability to function. The emotional highs and lows are not as extreme as those in bipolar I or II disorder.
  • Bipolar related to a medical condition — features of the symptoms that are the same as the bipolar disorder, but may be due to a medical condition. For example, Cushing's disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke and traumatic brain injury can cause bipolar, mania, or hypomania.
  • Bipolar related to the use of certain substances — the characteristics of the symptoms that are the same as the bipolar disorder, but may be due to alcohol, street drugs or medicine.

Symptoms

The symptoms depend on the type of mood disorder.

Depressive disorders

Depressive disorders are common and often long lasting. They can:

  • Make you feel sad, empty, anxiety and bad mood.
  • Affect your ability to concentrate and function.
  • The cause of the loss of pleasure in most or all activities.
  • Affect your energy level and quality of life.
  • Make you feel worthless or guilty.
  • Affect how much you eat and sleep.
  • Raise thoughts about suicide.

Bipolar disorders

Bipolar disorders may feature:

  • The mood states that go back and forth between the emotional highs, called mania or hypomania, and low, called depression.
  • Feel on top of the world, superior to others, or that you're so strong that nothing can damage or change.
  • Racing thoughts.
  • Increased energy.
  • Disrupted sleep, usually a reduced need for sleep, but a continued high level of energy.
  • The impulsive behavior.

You may also be easily distracted and more likely to think of suicide or a suicide plan, depending on the severity of the symptoms.

Other types of mood disorders may include other symptoms.

When to see a doctor

If you are worried that you may have a mood disorder, consult your doctor or a mental health professional as soon as you can. If you're not sure that you want to seek treatment, talk to a friend or loved one, a religious leader, or someone else you trust.

Talk with a health professional if:

  • Feel like your emotions are getting in the way of work, how you get along well with others, or in other areas of your life, or you're not taking part in social activities.
  • You have problems with alcohol or drugs.
  • You're thinking of taking your own life. If this is the case, seek emergency treatment at the same time.

His mood disorder is not likely to go away on its own. And may worsen with time. Seek professional help before its mood disorder becomes serious. It may be easier for the early treatment.

Causes

Mood disorders are caused by the traits passed down to you, as well as the environmental factors and life events. The environmental factors may include, for example, childhood experiences and stressful life events. Some prescription drugs, such as corticosteroids, and drugs for Parkinson's disease, and street drugs can also cause mood disorders.

Risk factors

Risk factors include life experiences and stressful life events increase the risk of certain types of mood disorders.

Mood disorders can occur together with neurological disorders. These are conditions that affect the brain and the nervous system. For example, depression is common among people with multiple sclerosis, dementia, traumatic brain injury, stroke and epilepsy. Depression often occurs in people who have movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease and those with other long-term health conditions.

Diagnosis

To find out if you have a mood disorder, like depression or bipolar disorder, your doctor or other primary care professional may do a physical exam. This review is going to look for other signs of illness. Your doctor will review your symptoms, medical and family history, and the history of use of alcohol or drugs.

Your doctor will want to know about your past episodes of a mood disorder. The questions may include:

  • How long were you last episodes?
  • How long to go between the episodes?
  • How strong were these episodes?
  • None of these episodes will be affected by the use of illegal drugs or medications?

Your doctor will also ask about other past or current mental health problems. If necessary, you may be referred to a mental health professional.

Treatment

For most people, mood disorders can be treated with psychotherapy, medication or both. Psychotherapy is also known as psychotherapy. It is a general term for the treatment of a mood disorder, talking about your condition and related issues with a mental health professional.

Medications can be used to treat depression and bipolar disorder. What medicine works best for you will depend on how well it controls its symptoms, how to tolerate and their preferences. The drugs should be used along with psychotherapy to improve the results.

The cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), family-focused therapy or other types of therapy can be an important part of the treatment for the management of the symptoms or prevent them from returning.

For some people with depression, other procedures, sometimes called brain stimulation therapies may be suggested. These include transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). These are typically considered secondary treatments, and it is used when other treatments do not work.

Symptoms and treatment of Mood disorders