Mood disorders are a group of mental health conditions that affect your emotions and behaviors. They have the uncanny ability to make you feel very joyful, furious, or depressed. They may also cause problems in your relationships and day-to-day activities.
There are different types of mood disorders, such as depression, bipolar disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Each one has its own symptoms, causes, and treatments. In this article, you will learn more about these mood disorders and how to cope with them.
Depression
Depression is a common mood disorder that makes you feel sad, hopeless, and worthless. It can also cause you to lose interest in activities you used to like, struggle to eat or sleep, and have suicidal thoughts.
There are different forms of depression, such as:
- Major depressive disorder (MDD): This is the most severe type of depression. It lasts for at least two weeks and affects your ability to function at home, work, or school.
- Persistent depressive disorder (PDD): This is a chronic type of depression that lasts for at least two years. It is less intense than MDD, but still affects your mood and quality of life.
- Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD): This is a type of depression that occurs before your menstrual period. It causes mood swings, anger, irritability, anxiety, and other symptoms that affect your physical and mental health.
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that causes extreme changes in your mood, energy, and activity levels. It can make you feel very high (mania) or very low (depression).
There are different types of bipolar disorder, such as:
- Bipolar 1 disorder: This is the most severe type of bipolar disorder. It involves at least one manic episode that lasts for at least a week and causes serious problems in your life. You may also have depressive episodes or psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations or delusions.
- Bipolar 2 disorder: This is a less severe type of bipolar disorder. It involves at least one major depressive episode and at least one hypomanic episode. Hypomania is a mild form of mania that may make you feel more productive, creative, or confident. You may not have psychotic symptoms or severe impairment.
- Cyclothymic disorder: This is a mild type of bipolar disorder that involves frequent mood swings between depression and hypomania. You may not have full-blown manic or depressive episodes, but your mood changes can still affect your life.
Substance- or Medication-Induced Mood Disorder
This is a mood condition brought on by substance abuse, alcohol consumption, or prescription drug use. It can make you experience symptoms of depression or bipolar disorder, such as sadness, hopelessness, euphoria, or psychosis.
To be diagnosed with this disorder, you must have no history of mood disorders before using the substance or medication. You must also stop using the substance or medication and see if your symptoms improve.
This disorder can be treated by stopping the use of the substance or medication and getting help for your addiction or withdrawal. You may also need medication or psychotherapy to manage your mood symptoms.
Mood Disorder Types
There are different types of mood disorders, such as:
- Depressive disorders: These include major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and others. They are characterized by low mood, lack of motivation, and reduced pleasure in most activities.
- Bipolar disorders: These encompass cyclothymic disorder, bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, and other conditions. They are characterized by alternating episodes of high mood (mania or hypomania) and low mood (depression). Mania and hypomania can cause increased energy, euphoria, impulsivity, and poor judgment, while depression can cause the same symptoms as depressive disorders.
- Other mood disorders: These include disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, which affects children and adolescents who have frequent and severe temper outbursts, and mood disorder due to another medical condition or substance use, which is caused by physical or chemical changes in the brain.
What Causes Mood Disorders?
The exact cause of mood disorders is not fully understood, but research suggests that they are influenced by a combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors.
Some of the factors that may increase your risk of developing or experiencing a mood disorder are:
- Trauma: Experiencing abuse, violence, neglect, or loss, especially in childhood, can affect your brain development and emotional regulation.
- Genetics: Having a family history of mood disorders can make you more vulnerable to inheriting or developing them.
- Brain chemistry: Having imbalances or abnormalities in the levels or functions of certain neurotransmitters, hormones, or other chemicals in your brain can affect your mood and behavior.
- Substance use: Using alcohol, drugs, or medications that alter your mood can trigger or worsen a mood disorder, especially if you have a genetic predisposition or an underlying condition.
- Medical conditions: Having certain physical illnesses or injuries that affect your brain or body can cause or contribute to a mood disorder. Some examples are encephalitis, brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, thyroid disease, chronic kidney disease, sexually transmitted infections, influenza, Q fever, and cancer.
How are Mood Disorders Diagnosed?
Diagnosing a mood disorder can be challenging, as the symptoms can vary from person to person and overlap with other mental or physical conditions. To make an accurate diagnosis, your healthcare provider will:
- Ask you about your symptoms: They will want to know how long you have been feeling this way, how severe your symptoms are, how they affect your daily life, and whether you have any thoughts of suicide or self-harm.
- Ask you about your history: They will want to know about your personal and family history of mood disorders or other mental illnesses, any trauma or stress you have experienced, any substance use or medical conditions you have, and any medications or treatments you are taking or have tried.
- Perform a physical examination and tests: They will check your vital signs, blood pressure, weight, and other indicators of your physical health. They may also order some blood tests, urine tests, or imaging scans to rule out any medical causes of your symptoms.
- Use diagnostic criteria: They will compare your symptoms and history to the criteria for different mood disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), which is the standard reference for mental health professionals. The DSM provides specific definitions and guidelines for each mood disorder, based on the type, duration, frequency, and severity of the symptoms, and the presence or absence of mania or hypomania.
How are Mood Disorders Treated?
Mood disorders are treatable, and there are various options available to help you manage your symptoms and improve your well-being. The most common treatments are:
- Medications: These are drugs that work by restoring or modifying the balance of chemicals in your brain that affect your mood. Depending on the type and severity of your mood disorder, you may be prescribed antidepressants, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, or anti-anxiety medications..
- Psychotherapy: This is also known as talk therapy, and it involves having regular sessions with a trained mental health professional, such as a psychologist, psychiatrist, counselor, or social worker.
- Other treatments: If medications and psychotherapy are not enough or not suitable for you, you may be offered other treatments that can help with your mood disorder. Some examples are:
- Brain stimulation therapy: This involves using electrical currents, magnetic fields, or light to stimulate or alter the activity of certain brain regions that are involved in mood regulation. Some of the methods are electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), or deep brain stimulation (DBS).
- Lifestyle changes: These involve making some adjustments to your daily habits and routines that can support your mental health and well-being. Some of the changes are getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, avoiding alcohol and drugs, reducing stress, practicing relaxation techniques, engaging in enjoyable activities, and seeking social support.
Takeaways
Mood disorders are serious but treatable mental health conditions that affect your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. They can have various causes and symptoms, and they require a comprehensive and individualized diagnosis and treatment plan. If you think you may have a mood disorder, or if you are already diagnosed with one, you should seek professional help and follow the recommendations of your healthcare provider. There are effective treatments and strategies that can help you manage your symptoms and improve your quality of life. You are not alone, and you can recover from a mood disorder.
