What Are Mood Disorders?

 

Mood disorders are a group of serious mental health conditions that primarily affect a person’s emotional state. They involve persistent and extreme feelings of sadness, elevated mood, or both. Mood disorders can impact everyday life, affecting emotions, social relationships, work, school, and physical health.

Common types of mood disorders include:

• Major Depressive Disorder (MDD): Involves ongoing feelings of sadness, loss of interest or pleasure in daily activities, changes in appetite, trouble sleeping, difficulty concentrating, and feelings of worthlessness or guilt.
• Bipolar Disorder (BD): Characterized by extreme mood changes ranging from emotional highs (mania or hypomania) to lows (depression). During mania, a person may feel overly energetic, euphoric, or irritable. This can later shift to deep sadness, fatigue, and hopelessness.
• Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD) (formerly known as dysthymia): A long-term form of depression where a person may feel low, irritable, or angry for most of the day and experience symptoms like fatigue, low self-esteem, or difficulty concentrating for at least two years.
• Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): A type of depression related to seasonal changes, often occurring in the winter months when sunlight exposure is reduced.
• Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD): Typically diagnosed in children and adolescents, it involves severe temper outbursts and chronic irritability or anger that is out of proportion to the situation.

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Common Symptoms of Mood Disorders

Mood disorders can manifest in many ways, including:

• Persistent sadness, low mood, or irritability
• Loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities
• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
• Feelings of worthlessness, guilt, or hopelessness
• Sleep problems (either insomnia or oversleeping)
• Changes in appetite and weight
• Fatigue or low energy
• Social withdrawal and isolation
• Anger or mood swings
• Suicidal thoughts or behaviors
• Substance use (alcohol or drugs) as a coping mechanism