Mood disorders describe serious changes in an individual’s mood that affects their everyday emotional state. Some of the conditions include major depression, bipolar disorder, cyclothymic disorder, persistent depressive disorder and seasonal affective disorder. Mood disorders are also associated with the increased risk of developing diabetes, heart diseases and other conditions. In some cases, mood disorders can also be associated with chronic medical conditions and substance abuse such as drug or alcohol dependence. The treatments for mood disorders can consist of medications, psychotherapy or the combination of both in some cases.
Major Depression
Major depression can affect people in different ways with some presenting trouble with sleep, losing weight, feeling irritable or guilty and eating too much. Not every individual with major depression experience and behave in the same manner. The additional physical symptoms associated with major depression include difficulty concentrating, headaches, thoughts of suicide, body aches, fatigue and feeling hopelessness. It is estimated that around two-thirds of individuals with major depression will recover. In some cases, major depression can be related to chronic medical conditions such as cancer or stroke which makes the treatment for the illness more difficult and the prognosis less positive.
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder causes the abnormal shifts in an individual’s energy, activity levels affecting their ability to continue their daily tasks. The moods of bipolar disorder involve mood changes that can range from elated and energized behavior known as manic episodes to very down periods called the depressive episodes. There are four basic types of bipolar disorder; bipolar disorder I, bipolar disorder II, cyclothymic disorder and the other specified and unspecified bipolar and related disorders. Individuals experiencing the manic episodes can have increased activity levels, be agitated, do risky things, have a lot of energy and feel elated. During the depressive episodes, they can feel very sad or down, have very little energy, feel worried, tired, trouble concentrating and decreased activity levels.
Cyclothymic disorder
This is a mild form of bipolar disorder where the affected individual can present mood swings that range from mild depression to emotional highs. The symptoms include episodes of high activity (mania) or low mood or energy (depression) for at least couple of years. Although this type of disorder appears less extreme than the bipolar disorder, treatment is essential to manage the symptoms or it can affect the individual’s ability to function normally.
Persistent depressive disorder
This is a chronic form of depression where the affected individual’s mood becomes low although the symptoms are not as severe as major depression. The main symptoms of this disorder are the feeling of low or sad mood that continues for at least two years. It can also present symptoms such as fatigue, poor appetite or overeating, poor concentration, too much or too little sleep and low self-esteem.
Seasonal affective disorder
This is also a form of depression that is associated with the changes in the season. In most of the cases, it occurs and ends about the same time each year such as beginning in the autumn and continuing into the winter. The symptoms can begin to be mild that develops to become more severe as the season continues. The symptoms of the seasonal affective disorder can be similar to major depression such as feeling low energy, loss of interest in activities, feeling hopeless and being depressed.
References
https://medlineplus.gov/mooddisorders.html
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mood-disorders/basics/definition/con-20035907
http://www.allaboutdepression.com/dia_03.html
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bipolar-disorder/index.shtml
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001550.htm
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000918.htm
