Understand Mood Disorders - Types, Symptoms and More

We cycle through various emotions in a day, but mood disorders can have a deeper impact on our emotional state. Struggling to understand your mental health condition? We’re here to make it easier.

What are mood disorders?

Mood disorders, also known as affective disorders, are characterised by emotional states that are inconsistent with one’s surroundings. They cause disruptions in your emotions, where you may experience bouts of extreme happiness (known as mania or hypomania) or extreme sadness (known as depression). Besides feeling happy or sad, some mood disorders also include emotions such as anger or increased irritability.

While it is normal to experience a range of emotions, mood disorders can affect your behaviour as well. They have a significant impact on your daily functioning and mental health. Mental health professionals provide a formal diagnosis if symptoms of mood disorder are present for several weeks or months.

Types of Mood Disorders

Broadly, mood disorders are classified into two categories: bipolar disorders and depressive disorders. However, these categories can be further classified into many subtypes, helping us understand how pervasive mood disorders can be.

Major Depressive Disorder

Commonly known as major depression or clinical depression, this mood disorder involves periods of extreme sadness, hopelessness, and helplessness. It includes other physical and cognitive symptoms, such as lack of sleep, changes in appetite and more. Its subtypes are: 

Persistent Depressive Disorder or Dysthymia: A chronic condition with less severe symptoms than clinical depression, but it can be just as distressing.

Seasonal Affective Disorder: Specified as a Major Depressive Disorder with Seasonal Pattern, depressive symptoms usually begin during winter and last until early summer.

Post-partum or Peripartum Depression: Typically, symptoms occur during pregnancy or after giving birth.

Other depressive subtypes: This includes depressive disorder due to another medical condition or substance use, as well as other specified or unspecified depressive disorders. Here, symptoms do not meet the criteria for other depressive disorders but still cause significant distress.

Also read: Understanding Depression: Signs, Causes and Types

Bipolar Disorders

Bipolar mood disorder is a lifelong mental health condition characterized by extreme shifts in moods and other behavioural changes. A person may alternate between manic or hypomanic and depressive episodes. The types of bipolar disorder include:

Bipolar I disorder: An individual may experience one or more episodes of mania, characterised by elated mood, increased energy levels, and more. Depressive episodes may occur, but are not necessary for a diagnosis. 

Bipolar II disorder: Similar to Bipolar I, however, a person may also experience hypomanic episodes, which are less severe than mania. Usually, those with Bipolar II disorder, can handle their daily responsibilities.

Cyclothymia: This is a chronic bipolar disorder where people cycle between hypomanic episodes and mild depression. Symptoms of cyclothymia must last for at least two years. 

Other specified or unspecified bipolar disorders: Used to categorize those types of bipolar disorders that do not meet the criteria for any other bipolar disorders but still cause significant distress. 

Also read: Are Mood Swings a Sign of Bipolar Disorder?

Other mood disorders

Besides depressive and bipolar disorders, DSM-5 has included two new mood disorders.

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: A more serious form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), where symptoms start about seven to ten days before menstruation and go away within a few days after it starts.

Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder: Mainly affecting children and adolescents, it involves increased irritability and frequent angry outbursts.

Symptoms of Mood Disorders

Typically, mood disorders affect your mood, and its related functions, such as sleeping, eating, thinking, and energy levels. Symptoms vary greatly depending on the subtype and can present in different ways depending on the individual.

In general, symptoms of mood disorders may include

• Persistent low mood

• Low energy levels

• Thoughts about death or suicide

• Difficulty concentrating or focusing

• Changes in sleeping pattern

• Marked changes in appetite

• Increased irritability or agitation

• Risk-taking behaviour

Treatments for Mood Disorders

With effective treatment plans, you can achieve a better quality of life. Typically, mood disorder treatment includes therapy, medication, or a combination of both for best results. 

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy can help you reframe and redirect negative thoughts into healthy coping mechanisms, while medication can help with regulating your mood better. Besides CBT, other approaches such as Family Therapy help you and your loved ones understand your condition better. 

Mood disorders can seem daunting, but learning more about the resources available, can help put you at ease. With psychotherapy and medication, you or your loved one can effectively deal with the symptoms of mood disorders.