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What Do All Mood Disorders Have In Common?
The Albany Clinic • November 8, 2022
Mood disorders are a broad category of mental health illnesses that cause severe disruptions in a person’s mood. This can manifest as feeling extremely happy or elated (known as mania), feeling very sad and down (known as depression), or episodes of both extremes.
There are four main types of mood disorders, namely:
- Major depressive disorder
- Persistent depressive disorder (formerly known as dysthymia or dysthymic disorder)
- Bipolar disorder
- Substance-induced mood disorder, and
- Mood disorder caused by a general medical condition,
While each mood disorder has its own unique set of symptoms, there are some commonalities as outlined below:
- Mood Fluctuations: The primary symptom of all mood disorders is unpredictable, extreme fluctuations in mood ranging from depression to mania. These mood swings can be mild or intense and often lead to severe disruption in daily activities.
- Difficulty Sleeping: Difficulty sleeping is another commonly reported symptom of mood disorders. This can manifest as difficulty falling asleep, waking up frequently throughout the night, or sleeping excessively.
- Changes in Appetite: It’s not uncommon for people with mood disorders to experience changes in their appetite. This can mean either eating more or less than usual, ultimately leading to significant weight loss or gain.
- Loss of Interest: People with mood disorders often lose interest in activities that they used to enjoy. This can include things like going out with friends, exercising, or hobbies. They may become socially withdrawn or emotionally numb and isolate themselves from friends and loved ones.
- Fatigue: Feeling physically exhausted and emotionally drained all the time is another common symptom of a mood disorder. This fatigue can make it difficult to concentrate, take care of yourself, or even just get out of bed in the morning.
- Irritability: Another shared characteristic of mood disorders is irritability. People with mood disorders may find that they’re easily annoyed, angered, or irritated by things that wouldn’t normally bother them. They may have outbursts of anger or become easily overwhelmed with emotions.
- Feelings of Worthlessness: People with mood disorders often feel like they are not good enough or don’t deserve the good things in their life. They may believe that everyone would be better off without them and might even have thoughts of suicide or self-harm.
- Concentration Issues: It can be hard to focus when you’re dealing with a chronic mental illness. You may find yourself forgetting things more often or having trouble completing everyday tasks that you once found easy. This is because mental illnesses affect the structure and function of the brain and can impair its ability to control executive functions in the body.
- Physical Aches and Pains: Most people with mood disorders will also report experiencing physical symptoms such as headaches, stomachaches, and muscle pain. These aches and pains are often results of the physical and psychological stress associated with mental illness.
Treating Mood Disorders
Although there is no cure for mood disorders, there are many effective treatment options available that can help manage the symptoms and improve the quality of life. These include medication (such as antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and antipsychotics), psychotherapy (such as cognitive behavioral therapy and interpersonal therapy), and self-care strategies (such as exercise and stress management)
It’s advisable to seek professional help as soon as possible if you think you may have a mood disorder; if left untreated, these conditions can worsen over time and lead to even more complications, such as substance abuse, self-harm, and suicide.
The Bottom Line
While the specific symptoms and causes of mood disorders may differ from person to person, there are some common symptoms that all these conditions share. If you or someone you know is exhibiting any or all of the above signs and symptoms, it’s important to seek professional help right away. With the right treatment regimen, you can live a happy and productive life.
The post What Do All Mood Disorders Have In Common? appeared first on The Albany Clinic.
At the Albany Clinic, our goal is to make you comfortable and provide relief for your symptoms. We accomplish this with a warm atmosphere, a caring and competent staff, and a state-of-the-art facility.
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