How To Define Mood Disorder?
A
mood disorder is a mental health term used by doctors to cover all types of
depression and bipolar disorder.
Mood
problems can affect children, adolescents, and adults. Children and teenagers,
on the other hand, do not usually exhibit the same symptoms as adults. It is
more difficult to diagnose mood disorders in youngsters since they are not
always able to verbalize their feelings.
Various Types of Mood Disorders
Major Depressive Disorder - For at least two weeks,
having less interest in typical activities, feeling gloomy or hopeless, and
other symptoms may suggest depression.
Dysthymia : A chronic, low-grade, melancholy, or
irritated mood that lasts at least two years.
Bipolar disorder : is a mood illness. This is
a condition in which a person experiences periods of depression followed by
times of mania or heightened mood.
Mood problem caused by another medical
ailment : Many medical conditions (including cancer, accidents, infections, and chronic
illnesses) can cause depressive feelings.
A mood condition caused by drugs or
alcohol : Depression symptoms are caused by medication, substance misuse, alcoholism,
exposure to chemicals, or other forms of treatment.
Causes of Mood Disorders
Many factors
contribute to mood disorders. They are most likely caused by a chemical
imbalance in the brain.
Life circumstances (such as severe life
changes) may also play a role in depression. Mood disorders also tend to run in
families.
Who Are at Risk for Mood Disorders?
You may experience sadness or depression at times. Mood disorders, on the other hand, are more powerful and difficult to regulate than regular sensations of sadness. Children, teenagers, and adults who have a parent who suffers from a mood disorder are more likely to suffer from one themselves.
Life events and
stress, on the other hand, might expose or intensify feelings of sadness or
despair. This makes it more difficult to handle the feelings.
Sometimes the difficulty in your life can lead to depression. To mention a few, being fired from a job, being divorced, losing a loved one, a death in the family, and financial difficulties may all be stressful, and coping with the stress can be challenging.
These life events and stresses can elicit emotions of
melancholy or depression or make it more difficult to manage a mood condition.
Women
are roughly twice as likely as males to suffer from depression. If someone in
the family has this illness, their brothers, sisters, or children are more
likely to have the same disease. Furthermore, relatives of those suffering from
depression are at a higher risk of developing a bipolar illness.
When
one member in a family is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, the likelihood that
their siblings, sisters, or children will also be diagnosed rises. Relatives of
patients with bipolar disorder are likewise at a higher risk of depression.
What Are the Symptoms of Mood Disorders?
A
person's depression symptoms may vary depending on their age and the sort of
mood illness they have. The most prevalent signs of a mood disorder are as
follows:
1. Continuously depressed,
apprehensive, or "empty" mood
2. Feeling helpless or forlorn
3. Having a low sense of
self-worth
4. Feeling insufficient or
worthless
5. Extravagant guilt
6. Thinking about death or
suicide repeatedly, longing to die, or attempting suicide
7. Loss of interest in typical
or previously enjoyed activities, such as sex
8. Relationship issues
9. Sleeping difficulties or
oversleeping
10. Appetite and/or weight
changes
11.
Reduced energy
12. Having difficulty concentrating
13. Reduction in
decision-making ability
14. Frequent physical problems
(such as headaches, stomachaches, or fatigue) that do not improve with
treatment
15. Attempting to flee
or threatening to flee from home
16. Extremely vulnerable to
failure or rejection
17. Irritability,
aggressiveness, or violence are all examples of irritability.
These
sentiments are more severe in mood disorders than they are in normal
circumstances. It's also a cause for concern if these sentiments persist or
interfere with one's interest in family, friends, community, or work.
Diagnosis of Mood Disorders-
Mood disorders are legitimate medical conditions. Mood disorders are often diagnosed by a psychiatrist or other mental health practitioner after a thorough medical history and psychiatric exam.
How Are Mood Disorders Treated?
Mood
disorders are frequently successfully addressed. Treatment options may include:
Antidepressant and mood-stabilizing
medications-
particularly when paired with psychotherapy, have been demonstrated to be quite
effective in the treatment of depression.
Psychotherapy-Most commonly, cognitive-behavioural
and/or interpersonal therapy are used. This therapy aims to change the person's
skewed perceptions of himself or herself and the world around him or her. It
also aids in the development of interpersonal relationship skills, as well as
the identification of stresses in the environment and how to avoid them.
Family therapy
Other therapies-electroconvulsive treatments
and transcranial stimulation are two examples.
Families
are essential supporters in any therapy process.
Can Mood Disorders Be Prevented?
There
are currently no ways to prevent or minimize the prevalence of mood disorders.
Early diagnosis and treatment, on the other hand, can lessen the severity of
symptoms, promote normal growth and development, and improve the quality of
life of persons suffering from mood disorders.
Key Points About Mood Disorders
A
mood disorder is a mental health term used by doctors to cover all types of
depression and bipolar disorder.
Major
depression, dysthymia (dysthymic disorder), bipolar disorder, a mood disorder
related to a general medical illness, and substance-induced mood disorder are
the most frequent types of mood disorders.
Mood
disorders have no evident cause. Medical professionals believe they are caused
by chemical abnormalities in the brain. Some types of mental disorders appear
to run in families, although no genes are associated with them.
Almost
everyone who has a mood disorder has chronic melancholy and may feel helpless,
hopeless, and angry. Symptoms might linger for weeks, months, or years if not
treated, and they can influence one's quality of life.
Depression
is typically treated with medication, psychotherapy or cognitive behavioural
therapy, family therapy, or a combination of the two. Other therapies,
including electroconvulsive therapy and TMS stimulation, may be employed in
some circumstances.
Written
By – Neha
Edited
By – Chavi Goel
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