Psychology
12/11/12 Mood Disorders Mood disorders are a disturbance in the emotional state, which affects thinking, physical symptoms, social relationships and behavior. If you have a mood disorder, you might feel very happy or very sad for long periods of time for no apparent reason. There are different types of mood disorders including: mania, depression, bipolar, drug induced mood disorders, and medically induced mood disorders. When a mood factor pushes a person to one extreme or the other that mood disorders can result (Sandra K. Cicarelli, White). Mild mood disorders are categorized as dysthymia while moderate disorders are categorized as cyclothymia. Both forms of mood disorders usually last for two years or more. Mania is a kind of mood disorder. This mood disorder is a state of abnormally high arousal, mood and energy levels. It can range from mild to severe. Mania involves extreme behaviors such as excessive happiness, irritability, dangerous behavior, over reaction, impaired decision-making, spending large amounts of money and increased interest in sex. Mania is part of the bipolar disorder and also a part of depression.
When a deeply depressed mood comes on fairly suddenly and either seems to be too severe for the circumstances or exists without any external cause for sadness, it is called major depression (Sandra K. Cicarelli, White). Major depression is a mood disorder as well that involves the body, mood, and thoughts. Depression is highly treatable and is not a personal weakness. People who suffer from depression are depressed for most of the day, have trouble sleeping or sleep too much, experience weight changes, and have feelings of worthlessness. It is estimated that 1 in 10 US adults suffer from depression (About.com). Death by suicide is common by people with major depression. This is the most common mood disorder.
Bipolar disorder is another mood disorder where a person suffers severe mood swings that go all the way from