Mood disorders (general info) A. This category of mental disorders has significant and chronic disruption in mood as the predominant symptom. This causes impaired cognitive, behavioral, and physical functioning. B. Mood disorders are differentiated from normal moods on the basis of duration, intensity, and absence of cause.

Mood disorders (general info) C. Prevalence of mood disorders 1. Mood disorders are among the most common of all psychological disorders, affecting about 12 million Americans in any given year. 2. Mood disorders are more common in women than in men. 3. The greatest risk of developing major depression occurs between the ages of and Episodes recur in one half of all cases and last at least two weeks.

Emotional symptoms Feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and guilt. Feeling emotionally disconnected from other people.

Behavioral symptoms a dejected, unsmiling, downcast demeanor slowed movements and speech tearfulness and spontaneous crying a loss of interest or pleasure in one's usual activities

Cognitive Symptoms difficulty thinking, concentrating, and remembering global negativity and pessimism suicidal thoughts or preoccupation with death.

Physical Symptoms changes in appetite resulting in weight gain or loss constipation sleep disturbances, such as insomnia, oversleeping, or early waking chronic, vague aches and pains loss of energy, or restless, fidgety activity.

Includes periods of major depression alternating with periods of mania

Characteristics of manic phase 1. Emotional symptoms, such as euphoria, expansiveness, and excitement (feeling "on top of the world"). 2. Behavioral symptoms, such as out-of-character energy or activity, frenzied, disorganized goal-directed activity, rapid-fire speech, spending sprees and illegal acts, and severely disrupted sleep patterns often resulting in little or no sleep over a number of days.

Characteristics of manic phase 3. Cognitive symptoms, such as wildly inflated self- esteem, grandiosity (sometimes involving delusional beliefs), easy distractibility leading to a flight of ideas in which thoughts rapidly and loosely shift, irritability, and verbal abusiveness if grandiose ideas are questioned.

Other information on bipolar disorder 1. Annually about 2 million Americans suffer from bipolar disorder. 2. Onset typically occurs in the early twenties. 3. The disorder affects men and women at the same rate. 4. It is a recurring, chronic disorder that generally responds favorably to drug therapy.

Cyclothymic disorder a milder, but chronic form of bipolar disorder involves moderate but frequent mood swings People with the disorder are perceived as extremely moody, unpredictable, and inconsistent.

Dysthymic disorder chronic, low-grade feelings of depression that produce subjective discomfort but, unlike major depression, does not seriously impair one's ability to function.

Seasonal Affective Disorder Known as SAD. Involves episodes of depression which typically recur in fall and winter and remit during spring and summer.

Biopsychological perspective 1. Family, twin, and adoption studies indicate that some people inherit a genetic predisposition for mood disorders. 2. Indirect evidence indicates that two neurotransmitters, seratonin and norepinephrine, are implicated in major depression. 3. Symptoms of major depression are alleviated in about 80% of people for whom antidepressant medication is prescribed. These medications increase the availability of seratonin and norepinephrine in the brain. 4. Continued use of antidepressants can prevent recurrences of major depression.

Behavioral perspective Stresses the the role of reinforcement. 1. Depressed people may lack the social skills needed to gain normal social reinforcement from others. 2. Thus, a vicious cycle develops in which reduced social reinforcement leads to depression, and depressed behavior further reduces social reinforcement.

Cognitive Perspective Stresses that the way people think can result in depression. 1. Perfectionists set themselves up for depression through irrational self-demands they may not be able to meet. 2. Paying attention to negative information, being highly self-critical, being pessimistic about the future, and focusing on the cause of the negative mood all contribute to depression. 3. Making attributions that are internal, stable and global may cause depression.

Biopsychosocial ( ) Perspective Recognizes the roles played by an individual's biochemistry, behavior and mood (along with environmental stress factors), thus acknowledging that depression is an ailing mind in an ailing body. It also acknowledges that altering any one of the components of the chemistry-cognition-mood circuit can affect the others.