Mood Disorders

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People who suffer from the major mood disorders - such as problems with feelings and emotions, experience exaggerations of the same kinds of highs and lows all human beings experience.

a) Major Depressive Episode: A major depressive episode is characterized by depressed moods, loss of pleasure in usual activities, disturbances of appetite and sleep, problems with physical movement, loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness and guilt, difficulty remembering or thinking clearly and recurrent thoughts of death and suicide. When the episodes are recurrent and long - the person may be experiencing major depressive disorder.

b) Manic Episode: A manic episode is characterized by an elated, expansive or irritable mood combined with inflated self-esteem, sleeplessness, talkativeness, flight of ideas (rushing thoughts), distractibility, hyperactivity and reckless behaviour.

c) Bipolar Disorder: People with bipolar disorder experience mixed or alternating manic and depressive episodes.

d) Dysthymic Disorder: This is a milder depression than a major disorder, but it is more chronic and lasting.

e) Cyclothymic Disorder: This disorder consists of recurrent depressive and manic episodes. It is like a chronic bipolar disorder.

f) Suicide: People who suffer from depression are at high risk for suicide. People who threaten to commit suicide often do, and those who try and fail will often try again. A factor that strongly predicts suicide is hopelessness - the belief that there is no escape from the psychological pain.