Mood Disorders
INTENSE, PERSISTENT, RECURRING
Definition of Mood Disorders
Causes
Risk Groups
Symptoms
Diagnosis and Treatment
Prevention
Proposed Dimensions for DSM5
In a single year, approximately 7% of Americans suffer from mood disorders, seen as depression or mania, likely to turn worse or cause death (Satcher, 2011). It is one of the top 10 causes of disability throughout the world. Mood disorder subjects spouses, children, parents, siblings and friends to frustration, guilt, anger, financial burden and even physical abuse in coping with the person who suffers from it. Depression has damaging effects on the economy in the form of decreased productivity and increased use of healthcare resources. Depression leads to absenteeism or reduces productivity. Depression accounts for the large part of healthcare expenditure. Depressed persons go through expensive diagnostic procedures in search for the cause of their pain. In many cases, they are treated for other complaints while the mood disorder escapes diagnosis and treatment (Satcher).
Mood Disorders
Mood disorders represent pathological extremes of normal moods, specifically sadness and elation (Boeree, 2003). The mood is said to be disordered when normal sadness or elation remains too long or becomes too strong. It may even lead to death through suicide or some reckless behavior (Boeree). These comprise all types of depression and bipolar disorder (OSUMC, 2011). They are also called affective disorders. Their distinguishing characteristic is a subjective experience of mood unusual for a particular circumstance (McGuigan, 2011). Common mood disorders are bipolar disorder, depression, postpartum depression, cyclothymia, schizoaffective disorder and seasonal affective disorder. When a single mood is brought to extreme, it is called a unipolar disorder. Severe depression is an example of a unipolar disorder (McGuigan).
Causes
The causes of mood disorders are not yet known (OSUMC,...
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