Mood Disorders: Depression and Bipolar

Study Notes

Mood Disorders

A psychological disorder characterized by the elevation or lowering of a person's mood, affecting their everyday emotional state.
Nearly one in ten people aged 18 and older have or have had a mood disorder.
Three main types of mood disorders: depressive disorders, bipolar disorders, and other mood disorders (substance-induced or due to general medical conditions).

Depressive Disorders

Characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and anxiety.
Symptoms include:
- Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day.
- Significant weight loss or weight gain, or decrease/increase in appetite.
- Insomnia or hypersomnia.
- Psychomotor agitation or retardation.
- Fatigue.
- Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt.
- Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness.
- Recurrent thoughts of death, recurrent suicidal ideation.

Types of Depressive Disorders

Major depression: severe symptoms.
Psychotic depression: severe depression with some form of psychosis (hallucinations, delusions, etc.).
Postpartum depression: women experience overwhelming anxiety/sadness after having a baby.
Seasonal affective disorder: depression during the winter season, related to lack of natural sunlight.

Bipolar Disorder

Also known as manic-depressive illness, characterized by alternating periods of depression and mania.
Symptoms include:
- Inflated self-esteem.
- Decreased need for sleep.
- More talkative than usual or pressure to keep talking.
- Flight of ideas or subjective experience that thoughts are racing.
- Attention easily drawn to unimportant or irrelevant items.
- Increase in goal-directed activity.
- Excessive involvement in pleasurable activities that have a high potential for painful consequences.

Types of Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar I Disorder: mainly defined by manic or mixed episodes that last at least seven days.
Bipolar II Disorder: characterized by depressive episodes shifting back and forth with hypomanic episodes.
Cyclothymic Disorder or Cyclothymia: mild form of bipolar disorder, characterized by episodes of hypomania that shift back and forth with mild depression.

Differences Between Depression and Bipolar Disorder

Depression: persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and anxiety.
Bipolar Disorder: alternating periods of depression and mania.

Factors Affecting Depression

Biological factors: hormonal changes, neurotransmitter imbalance.
Life cycle factors: women experience higher rates of depression due to hormonal changes, pregnancy, and menstruation.
Psychosocial factors: stress, relationships, and environment.

Causes of Mood Disorders

Combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors.
Neurotransmitters out of balance.
Trauma, loss of a loved one, or stressful situations.
Substance abuse: triggers mania and depression.
Anxiety disorders: PTSD, etc.
Genetics: 6 times more likely to develop if a parent or sibling has the disorder.

Treatment Options

Mood stabilizing medications: Lithium, Depakote, Topamax, etc.
Atypical antipsychotic medications: Zyprexa, Seroquel, Risperdal, etc.
Antidepressant medications: Prozac, Paxil, etc.
Psychotherapy: "talking it out".
ETC (Electroconvulsive Therapy).

Description

Test your knowledge about mood disorders, including the differences between depression and bipolar disorder, how they affect people of different sexes and ages, and the various treatment options. Learn about the causes and characteristics of these disorders and how they impact daily life.