Mood Disorders

     Mood disorders are mental health conditions characterized by persistent and intense emotional states that significantly disrupt a person's ability to function in daily life. Unlike normal mood fluctuations, these disorders involve severe lows (such as depression) or highs (mania/hypomania) that last for weeks or longer.

Major Depressive Disorder

        Major depressive disorder is a mood disorder that causes a feeling of sadness and loss of interest persistently affecting how one thinks and behaves. Day-to-day tasks may become challenging, feeling that there is no point in living. An individual with this disorder may have overwhelming feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness most of the day, nearly every day.

       The symptoms of major depressive disorder are more than just sadness and hopelessness. It may cause one to experience irritability or frustration, often over small matters. It disrupts sleep with some people experiencing either insomnia or sleeping too much, feeling a lack of energy that makes mundane tasks difficult. One may experience weight loss or weight gain due to an increased or reduced appetite. Slowed and troubled thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things make life much harder. Anxiety, restlessness, agitation and feelings of worthlessness may also present themselves. 

        Make a doctor's appointment with a mental health professional when you feel depressed. A psychiatrist can prescribe mood stabilizers if they determine you need it. If you can't get an appointment for whatever reason it is important to talk to a trusted individual, whether it be a friend or family member. If you think you might or are planning to hurt yourself, call 911. Contacting a mental health professional or contact a suicide hotline (988 or 1-888-628-9454 for Spanish language).

Persistent Depressive Disorder

     Persistent depressive disorder (PDD) is a form of depression that is continuous and long-term. With low self esteem lasting for years can interfere with one’s relationships, work, schooling and daily activities. An individual with this disorder may be described as having a gloomy personality. Coping with the symptoms associated with this condition is a difficult task .

     The symptoms are almost identical to that of major depressive disorder. Just like MDD it presents with feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness most of the day, nearly every day. The main difference is PDD is chronic while MDD is not. If you are experiencing depression-like symptoms seek medical attention especially if it has been going on for a long time. A psychiatrist can prescribe mood stabilizers. Mood stabilizers may help an individual focus, sleep better at night, or be less irritable. If you can't get an appointment for whatever reason it is important to talk to a trusted individual, whether it be a friend or family member. If you think you might or are planning to hurt yourself, call 911. Contacting a mental health professional or contact a suicide hotline (988 or 1-888-628-9454 for Spanish language).

Bipolar I & II Disorders

     Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition with episodes of high energy (mania) and episodes of low energy/mood (depression). This condition persists throughout one’s life. There are 2 types, type I and II. Though they both include periods of depression, they differ in their extremes.

     The depression phase of bipolar I people experience loss of interest, low mood and other behavior and mood changes. Those with this disorder tend to spend more time in depression than in manic episodes. People with bipolar II also experience the same symptoms of depression. Type II is characterized by longer, even chronic depressive phases.

     Bipolar I presents with mania while type II does not. Mania is the condition of having an extremely elevated mood and high energy level. Individuals in a manic state act impulsively, participating in risky behaviors. People with this condition may also experience psychosis having delusions and hallucinations. Hallucinations are seeing or hearing things that aren’t there, while delusions are a rigid belief in false information such as the government is stalking you. Due to their increased risky behavior many people can end up in the hospital. Though bipolar II does not show signs of mania it shows signs of hypomania. Hypomania is essentially mania with less extreme episodes. If you're looking for support, follow the same steps listed under the MDD and PDD sections.

Cyclothymic Disorder

     Cyclothymic disorder is a milder form of bipolar disorder. People with this condition experience mood swings from hypomanic to mild depressive episodes, or vice versa. Unlike bipolar I and II their mood swings happen between small periods. Some periods last only a day. This lifelong mood disorder has a tendency to present itself in adolescence or early adulthood. In the US it is present in approximately 0.4% to 1% of the population. Diagnosis can be difficult as a lot of Cyclothymic disorder’s symptoms overlap with other mental conditions. If you're looking for support, follow the same steps listed under the MDD and PDD sections.

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder

     Premenstrual dysphoric disorder or PMDD is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome, or PMS. Though the exact cause is unknown, an abnormal response to hormone changes that occur with each menstrual cycle causes a deficiency in serotonin. Sadness, hopelessness, or feelings of worthlessness as well as anxiety and mood swings are all symptoms of PMDD. A person experiencing PMDD may be irritable and get into more conflicts than usual. It causes fatigue, lethargy, or lack of energy, changes in sleep, as well as physical symptoms, like breast swelling and tenderness, headaches, joint and/or muscle aches, weight gain, and bloating.

     There is no way to cure premenstrual dysphoric disorder, though some treatments may decrease the severity of an individual's symptoms. Increasing protein and carbohydrates consumption while decreasing sugar, salt, caffeine, and alcohol intake is beneficial. Regular exercise, stress management, either through meditation or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and birth control, will lessen the depressive symptoms primarily. Anti-inflammatory medicines can be taken to reduce swelling. This condition only ends when the individual reaches menopause.  If you're looking for support, contact your local doctor's office.