Mood Disorders:
Mood disorders are a group of mental health conditions that primarily affect a person's emotional state. Unlike everyone's occasional mood swings, mood disorders are more severe and persistent, often impacting daily activities, relationships, work, and quality of life. These conditions can cause deep lows (depression), extreme highs (mania or hypomania), or a combination of the two.
The most common diagnoses that fall under the umbrella of "mood disorder" are bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder. Other conditions include Persistent Depressive Disorder, Cyclothymic Disorder, and Seasonal Affective Disorder. These illnesses do not just cause depressing or overly joyful feelings. They show complex disruptions in emotion regulation caused by a combination of genetic, biochemical, psychological, and environmental factors.
Life often feels like an unstoppable emotional rollercoaster when you have a mood illness. On the exterior, someone may seem depressed or overly sensitive, but on the inside, they may be battling an internal battle that is not always apparent to others. Therefore, understanding and information are crucial for those who have these illnesses as well as those who are close to them.
The Significance of Understanding Mood Disorders
Understanding mood disorders is not just the duty of mental health experts; it can also help us to build a more supportive and understanding society. Most individuals are unaware of how common these disorders are. According to the World Health Organization, depression