Mood Dis Order

Psychiatric Disorders
Mood Disorders
Common Characteristics
The disorders in this category include those where the primary symptom is a disturbance in mood. In
other words, inappropriate, exaggerated, or limited range of feelings. Everybody gets down sometimes,
and everybody experiences a sense of excitement and emotional pleasure. To be diagnosed with a mood
disorder, your feelings must be to the extreme. In other words, crying, and/or feeling depressed, suicidal
frequently. Or, the opposite extreme, having excessive energy where sleep is not needed for days at a
time and during this time the decision making process in significantly hindered.
Disorders in this Category
Bipolar Disorder
Cyclothymic Disorder
Dysthymic Disorder
Major Depressive Disorder
Bipolar Disorder (Manic-Depression)

Category
Mood Disorders
Etiology
Research has shown a strong biological component for this disorder, with environmental factors
playing a role in the exacerbation of symptoms.
Symptoms
Bipolar Disorder has been broken down into two types:

Bipolar I: For a diagnosis of Bipolar I disorder, a person must have at least one manic episode.
Mania is sometimes referred to as the other extreme to depression. Mania is an intense high where
the person feels euphoric, almost indestructible in areas such as personal finances, business
dealings, or relationships. They may have an elevated self-esteem, be more talkative than usual,
have flight of ideas, a reduced need for sleep, and be easily distracted. The high, although it may
sound appealing, will often lead to severe difficulties in these areas, such as spending much more
money than intended, making extremely rash business and personal decisions, involvement in
dangerous sexual behavior, and/or the use of drugs or alcohol. Depression is often experienced as
the high quickly fades and as the consequences of their activities becomes apparent, the depressive
episode can be exacerbated.
Bipolar II: Similar to Bipolar I Disorder, there are periods of highs as described above and often
followed by periods of depression. Bipolar II Disorder, however is different in that the highs are hypo
manic, rather than manic. In other words, they have similar symptoms but they are not severe
enough to cause marked impairment in social or occupational functioning and typically do not
require hospitalization in order to assure the safety of the person.
Treatment
Medication, such as Lithium, is typically prescribed for this disorder and is the corner stone of
treatment. Therapy can be useful in helping the client understand the illness and it’s consequences
and be better able to know when a manic or depressive episode is imminent and to prepare for this.
As with all disorders, poor coping skills and lack of support will make the illness more pronounced,
and this is often a focus of therapeutic treatment.
Prognosis
For more severe cases, prognosis is poor in terms of ’curing’ the illness, as most people need to
remain on medication for their entire lives. The manic episodes may slow down as a result of the
natural aging process. With medication, the illness can be kept at a minimum level, with some
people not experiencing any overt symptoms for months and even years.
However, there are definitely varying degrees of this illness and it is not difficult to misdiagnose due
to it's similarity to other mood disorders. If the illness is not severe, often times medication and
therapy can do very well in terms of treatment. And, life experience, strong support, and an
openness to improve can be enough sometimes to make a difference in outcome.
Cyclothymia
Category
Mood Disorders
Etiology
Research on this disorder is not nearly as well documented as its counterparts. It is assumed that
both biological and environmental factors play a role.
Symptoms
Like Bipolar II Disorder, symptoms of cyclothymia include periods of hypomania (see above).
Depressive symptoms are also present as the hypomania fades. These symptoms. However, are
not meet the criteria for a major depressive episode, in other words, are not as severe as those
found in Bipolar Disorder.
Treatment
Treatment can include both medication to help stabilize mood and therapy to increase coping skills,
build a solid support system, and deal with stressors which are either caused by or exacerbate the
illness.
Prognosis
Prognosis is good when the proper combination of medication and therapy are received. Like other
disorders in this category (except perhaps Major Depression), this can be a life-long disorder, with
hypomanic episodes slowing down with the natural aging process.
Dysthymia
Category
Mood Disorders
Etiology
Not as much research has been done on Dysthymia as on Major Depression but there is support for
a biological undertone as well as maladaptive ways of coping with the environment.
Symptoms
Depressed mood for most of the day, for more days than not, and ongoing for at least two years.
During this time, there must be two or more of the following symptoms: under– or over eating, sleep
difficulties, fatigue, low self-esteem, difficulty with concentration or decision making, and feelings of
hopelessness. There can also not be a diagnosis of Major Depression for the first two years of the
disorder, and has never been a manic or hypo-manic episode.
Treatment
Similar to Major Depression, treatment could include medication and/or therapy. See above for
additional information.
Prognosis
This disorder is typically seen as more chronic than Major Depression, but less severe in terms of
it’s symptoms.
Object 1
Major Depressive Disorder (Unipolar Depression)

Category
Mood Disorders
Etiology
Research has shown that depression is influenced by both biological and

environmental factors. Studies show that first degree relatives of people
with depression have a higher incidence of the illness, whether they are
raised with this relative or not, supporting the influence of biological
factors. Situational factors, if nothing else, can exacerbate a depressive
disorder in significant ways. Examples of these factors would include lack
of a support system, stress, illness in self or loved one, legal difficulties,
financial struggles, and job problems. These factors can be cyclical in that
they can worsen the symptoms and act as symptoms themselves.
Symptoms
Symptoms of depression include the following:

• depressed mood (such as feelings of sadness or emptiness)
• reduced interest in activities that used to be enjoyed, sleep
disturbances (either not being able to sleep well or sleeping to
much)
• loss of energy or a significant reduction in energy level
• difficulty concentrating, holding a conversation, paying attention, or
making decisions that used to be made fairly easily
• suicidal thoughts or intentions.
Treatment
Treatment can either combine both pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy

or utilize one or the other individually. Medications used to treat this
disorder include Prozac, Paxil, Wellbutrin, and Zoloft. Other medications
can be found, along with their descriptions can be found in the Medications
page. Psychotherapy is useful in helping the patient understand the factors
involved in either creating or exacerbating the depressive symptomotology.
Personal factors may include a history of abuse (physical, emotional,
and/or sexual), maladaptive coping skills/ Environmental factors involved
in this disorder include, among others, a poor social support system and
difficulties related to finances or employment.
Prognosis
Major Depressive Disorder has a better prognosis than other mood

disorders in that medication and therapy have been very successful in
alleviating symptomotology. However, many people with this disorder find
that it can be episodic, in that periodic stressors can bring back symptoms.

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Psychiatric Disorders

Disorders in this Category

Bipolar Disorder (Manic-Depression)

Bipolar Disorder has been broken down into two types:

Major Depressive Disorder (Unipolar Depression)

Research has shown that depression is influenced by both biological and

Symptoms of depression include the following:

Treatment can either combine both pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy

Major Depressive Disorder has a better prognosis than other mood

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