Mental health disorders classified as mood disorders are those which affect ones mood and emotions. Essentially, mood can be greatly elevated or depressed. Depression and bipolar disorder are the most prevalent mood disorders.

Depression

What is it?

A person suffering from depression feels down all of the time and has a sense of hopelessness. Nothing seems to shift their mood and the sufferer believes nothing ever will. Depression affects them psychologically, physically and behaviourally. They believe they are no longer in control of any aspect of their lives, and there is nothing they can do about it. People often say they are depressed but to suffer from clinical depression, the symptoms are more severe and ongoing.

Symptoms

The symptoms of depression are varied and sufferers may not experience all of them. Generally they can be divided into feelings, thoughts, behavioural and physical symptoms:

Feelings: sufferers may feel worthless, sad, trapped, confused and angry. They may also feel guilty, making it difficult for them to talk it through with others. The person with depression may also feel anxious.

Thoughts: the person may have negative thoughts about oneself, have no self-confidence and are unable to concentrate or make decisions. They may believe there is nothing in the future for them. All achievements are forgotten, with focus being only on the negative. A person may have thoughts of suicide.

Behavioural: people with depression are prone to procrastination losing interest in all aspects of their life and have little motivation. The person may withdraw from other people or become dependent on others. They may turn to alcohol or drugs.

Physical: physically the person has sleep and appetite disruptions and feel tired and lethargic. They may have unexplained weight changes. Sufferers may present symptoms to which there is no obvious physical cause.

What causes depression?

As with most conditions, there is no one cause that will lead to depression. However, a number of influences have been identified that can increase a person’s vulnerability towards depression. These are as follows:

Early childhood experiences: critical and abusive parents can lead to a sense of worthlessness that is taken into adulthood. Experiencing a loss during childhood can also be influential, if the child is not given the care they are in need of following the loss. A relationship has also been found between mothers having depression and their children presenting with depression.

Psychological factors: thinking may be distorted and the person may develop strict rules for living. Such rules will not be compatible with reality and at some point they or the people around them will fail to meet these rules. 'I must always do well', 'they must like me' are examples of such thoughts.

Social factors: lack of social support and friendships, unemployment, bullying and the loss of a spouse can all lead to depression.

Biology: chemical changes in our brain can alter our mood. Depression has also been found to run in families.

Who does it affect?

Depression is the most common of all psychological disorders. However, it mostly affects individuals aged between 25 and 65 and the incidence increases with age. It can however affect children and adolescents. Also, women are twice as likely as men to experience depression.

How is it treated?

Treatment is available for people with depression, however the nature of the condition means people frequently fail to seek out treatment. A combination of therapies is probably the most effective approach and may include the following:

Drugs: these are sometimes used in order to alter the brain’s chemistry. However, drugs do not treat the cause of the depression, so symptoms will return when medication ends.

Cognitive therapy: this involves changing client's thought patterns and developing more realistic thinking.

Psychotherapy: an opportunity to talk through what is going on in their life and maybe explore past experiences.

Exercise: exercise has been shown to be important in reducing depression and some research has found it to be as effective as cognitive therapy.

Myth

Most people claim to be depressed at some time, then get over it. However, depression is a difficult disorder and certainly not one the sufferer can just snap out of.

Useful link

http://www.beyondblue.org.au

Bipolar disorder

What is it?

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder, where the person experiences both depressive and manic episodes. It is also known as manic-depression and bipolar affective disorder. The person moves from one extreme mood to another.

There are two types of bipolar disorder: bipolar I disorder and bipolar II disorder. Bipolar I disorder is characterised by going from episodes of mania to episodes of depression. Both episodes are fairly intense and interfere with everyday living. Bipolar II disorder in contrast is a milder version, where the sufferer has a depressive episode then a milder manic episode, known as hypomania. This disorder may not interrupt daily living in the same was as bipolar I.

Symptoms

Manic symptoms include feeling energetic and full of extreme confidence and optimism. They may have grandiose ideas. The person will race from activity to activity and get easily distracted. They may behave recklessly without thinking of the consequences. Anger may result if people try to interfere with their actions. They won't want to sleep. Episodes may last hours, days or even months. Depressive symptoms will eventually follow and are outlined above, with sufferers experiencing similar. With hypomania, the person feels more energetic and confident, are better able to focus and may be more creative.

What causes it?

No one cause of bipolar disorder has been established. However, it is likely to be a combination of hereditary factors and environmental circumstances. There is a genetic component since it tends to run in families and if found in one identical twin, the other twin is more likely to develop the condition compared to a fraternal (non-identical) twin whose sibling has the disorder. It is also possible that bipolar disorder may be brought on by a stressful life event. One theory suggests that some people are genetically predisposed to the disorder, but it takes a particular life event to trigger the onset of the condition.

Who does it affect?

Bipolar disorder is relatively rare, affecting less than 1% of the population. It tends to run in families and can affect men and women equally of all ages. It may occur at an early age.

How is it treated?

The disorder is not easy to treat, however it can be managed quite well. Medication in the form of lithium is quite popular. People may also receive some form of psychotherapy or psychiatric treatment. Support groups are also available for people with the disorder. Without treatment the disorder is likely to recur.

Myth

Having bipolar disorder does not mean the person will automatically be institutionalized and unable to function in society. The right treatment means people are able to function as normal in society.