Mood disorders are a category of mental health conditions characterized by significant disturbances in a person's mood or emotional state. These disturbances can manifest as prolonged periods of intense sadness, hopelessness, or elation, significantly impacting daily functioning and quality of life. Some common types of mood disorders include:
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD): Also known as clinical depression, MDD involves persistent feelings of sadness, loss of interest or pleasure in activities, changes in appetite or weight, sleep disturbances, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, difficulty concentrating, and thoughts of death or suicide. Symptoms typically last for at least two weeks and can significantly impair daily functioning.
Bipolar Disorder: Bipolar disorder involves alternating episodes of depression and mania (or hypomania). During manic episodes, individuals may experience elevated mood, increased energy, decreased need for sleep, racing thoughts, impulsivity, and grandiosity. Hypomanic episodes are similar but less severe. These episodes are interspersed with periods of depression.
Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia): Dysthymia is characterized by a chronic low mood lasting for at least two years in adults (one year in children and adolescents). Symptoms are milder compared to MDD but persist for a longer duration, leading to long-term impairment in functioning.
Cyclothymic Disorder: Cyclothymic disorder involves periods of hypomanic symptoms alternating with periods of depressive symptoms lasting for at least two years (one year in adolescents). However, the symptoms are less severe and do not meet the criteria for a manic episode or a major depressive episode.
Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD): This disorder typically begins in childhood and is characterized by severe and recurrent temper outbursts that are out of proportion to the situation. Children with DMDD may also have chronic irritability and frequent negative moods.