MOOD DISORDERS

Daily life is a roller coaster of feelings and emotions. You tend to feel on top of the world one day due to various reasons like a promotion or awesome grades in an exam. Another day you may feel downfallen in the face of problematic relations, financial troubles, or various other reasons. All these oscillations in mood are normal that everyone witnesses on a daily basis. But if these mood swings start leaving an impact on your daily routine and your social life, it is possible that you may be suffering from a mood disorder.

It is a mental health state that psychologists broadly use to explain all kinds of depression and bipolar disorders. Everyone from children to adults can have mood disorders. However, they all show different mood disorder symptoms. The diagnosis of mood disorders is difficult in children than adults and teens as they don’t know how to express their feelings.

Types of Mood Disorders:

Here are the most common types of mood disorders:

• Major Depressive Disorder: Lacking interest in normal routine activities, feeling hopeless among other various symptoms for at least 2 weeks is a sign of depression.
• Dysthymia: This is a chronic, dangerous, depressed, or gloomy mood that lasts for a minimum of 2 years.
• Bipolar Disorder: This is a condition in which a person has days of depression alternating with days of elevated mood or mania.
• Mood Disorder Associated with Other Health Issues: Many medical ailments (like cancer, injuries, infections, and chronic diseases) can bring about symptoms of depression.
• Substance-Induced Mood Disorder: Signs of depression that occur from drug abuse, medicine, exposure to toxins, alcoholism, or different forms of therapy.

Mood Disorder Symptoms:

An individual may undergo many symptoms of depression depending on the age and the kind of mood disorder. Here are some of the most general symptoms of a mood disorder:

• Continuous dark, anxious, or “blank” mood
• Feeling worthless or weak
• Having low self-confidence
• Feeling inadequate or useless
• Extreme and unnecessary guilt
• Recurring thoughts of destruction or suicide
• Lost interest in usual activities that were once enjoyed, including intercourse
• Relationship issues or marital & family conflict
• Difficultly sleeping or excessive sleep
• Reduced energy
• Struggle concentrating
• Decreased decision-making ability
• Regular physical ailments (like headache, indigestion, or tiredness)
• Very sensitive to denial or anger
• Marked changes in appetite