Q: What are examples of mood disorders?

Some examples of mood disorders include: <ul role="presentation"> <li>Major depression. This condition is characterized by the patient lacking energy, losing interest in regular activities, and lacking focus for about two weeks. Major depression mostly affects premenopausal women.</li><li>Chronic depression or dysthymia. This is a low-grade form of depression or chronically irritable mood that can last for up to two years.</li><li>Bipolar disorder: This is a condition where the patient alternates between moments of sadness or depression and periods of excitement or mania. </li><li>Substance-induced mood disorders. These are mood disorders caused by medication, alcoholism, drug abuse, and exposure to toxins.</li><li>Mood disorders caused by illness. Several medical conditions such as cancer, infections, injuries, and chronic illnesses can cause mood swings.</li> </ul>

Question 1

What are examples of mood disorders?

Accepted Answer

Some examples of mood disorders include:

Major depression. This condition is characterized by the patient lacking energy, losing interest in regular activities, and lacking focus for about two weeks. Major depression mostly affects premenopausal women.
Chronic depression or dysthymia. This is a low-grade form of depression or chronically irritable mood that can last for up to two years.
Bipolar disorder: This is a condition where the patient alternates between moments of sadness or depression and periods of excitement or mania.
Substance-induced mood disorders. These are mood disorders caused by medication, alcoholism, drug abuse, and exposure to toxins.
Mood disorders caused by illness. Several medical conditions such as cancer, infections, injuries, and chronic illnesses can cause mood swings.

Question 2

What is the most common mood disorder?

Accepted Answer

The most common mood disorder is a substance-induced mood disorder. For most people, this disorder manifests during periods of intoxication or withdrawal. Studies have shown that almost 40% of alcoholics and over 50% of persons with other drug addictions manifest symptoms of mood disorder. The most common mood disorder is major depression, which is most prevalent in heroin and methadone addicts.

Most patients with alcohol and other drug (AOD) disorders manifest symptoms of depression during treatment for addiction. Further, most patients manifest symptoms of depression in the first few months of sobriety. However, the symptoms fade with time as the withdrawal symptoms improve. The research also indicates that women with AOD have higher rates of mood disorders than men. Meanwhile, elderly patients with AOD problems are at a high risk of mood disorders because the frequency of mood episodes increases with age.

Question 3

What are the symptoms of mood disorder?

Accepted Answer

Some of the possible symptoms of mood disorders include:

Irritability, hostility, or aggressiveness
Sadness
Anxiety
Changes in weight or appetite
Change of sleep patterns
Difficulties focusing or concentrating
Feelings of helplessness or hopelessness
Low self-esteem
Feelings of worthlessness or inadequacy
Excessive feelings of guilt
Suicidal ideation
Loss of interest in activities of living
Insomnia or sleeping too much
Relationship problems
Decreased energy
Hypersensitivity to rejection or failure

Healthy persons can experience some of the above symptoms occasionally. However, persons with mood disorders experience them more frequently, and the manifestation is more intense than is the case with healthy individuals. Further, unhealthy mood swings often interfere with normal functioning.

Question 4

What is a mood episode?

Accepted Answer

A mood episode is a set of symptoms that occur at the same time. For instance, a major depressive episode is a depressive mood that is characterized by indifference to ordinary pleasures of life and lasts for a minimum of two weeks. Other characteristics of a mood episode include changes in energy levels, change in sleep patterns, loss of weight, loss of focus. In extreme cases, the patient may manifest persistent feelings of guilt or worthlessness or recurrent thoughts of suicide.

On the other hand, a manic episode is a period when the patient has a persistently elevated or euphoric mood. The symptoms include increased talkativeness, hyperactivity, distractibility, and grandiosity. Most maniac episodes progress rapidly and lead to impaired social or occupational functioning. In extreme cases, the patient may manifest delusions and psychotic hallucinations.

What are examples of mood disorders?

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