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Peppy One Day,
Down the Next:
Signs of a Mood Disorder
By Jean Jeffers, Staff Writer
Have you ever encountered
someone who is happy, excited and
delighted one day, and the next day
he is down, sad, unable to do much
and has trouble connecting with others? This individual may have a mood
disorder.
Many of us have what we call a
“down” day when we are blue. A
person with a mood disorder may
experience something more intense
than what the ordinary person calls a
“down” day.
Dr. Rajnish Mago, director of the
Mood Disorders Program at Thomas
Jefferson University and professor
of psychiatry and human behavior at
the Sidney Kimmel Medical College
in Philadelphia, Pa., says mood disorders are a form of mental illness,
not only marked by mood swings but
by symptoms influencing different
aspects of the personality. Mago says
the common symptoms of mood disorder include:
• prolonged sadness or crying
spells;
• significant changes in appetite
and sleep;
• irritability, anger, worry, agitation
and anxiety;
• pessimism and indifference;
• loss of energy and persistent
lethargy;
• feelings of guilt and worthlessness;
• an inability to concentrate and
indecisiveness;
• an inability to enjoy life or activities once enjoyed; and
• persistent thoughts of death or
suicide.
The person with a mood disorder
may have difficulty holding a job or
going to school. The disease may
even prevent their getting out of bed.
The two main types of mood disorders, according to Mago, are major
depression and bipolar disorder.
Other types of mood disorder are
dysthymia, a milder form of depression than major depression, and
cyclothymia, characterized by milder
symptoms than those seen with bipolar disorder. Schizo-affective disorder
has some aspect of mood involvement mixed with schizophrenic
symptoms.
Major depression is a treatable
illness characterized by symptoms
of sadness and loss of interest in
activities. The American Psychiatric
Association (APA) defines major
depression disorder as a medical illness that affects how you feel, think
and behave. This condition, the APA
warns, may lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems.
Depression is different than grief.
Prolonged grief may trigger depression and make it worse. Treatment
for major depression is necessary and
includes psychotherapy, medications
(usually in the form of anti-depressants) and sometimes participation
in a support group. A person with
depression may have to try several
meds before finding one that works
effectively, and then the patient may
need to try it for six to eight weeks to
feel its full effect.
Bipolar disorder (previously
known as manic-depressive disor-
LSG
About the Author
Jean is a staff writer for Health &
Wellness Magazine and is completing a
novel due to be published in 2016.
Major
depression is a
treatable
illness.
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37
der) is another main type of mood
disorder and is fairly common. This
condition is marked by extreme
changes in mood, thoughts, energy
and behavior. The mood can alternate between manic (high, elevated)
and depression (low, lethargic). This
depression is not to be confused with
major depression. Symptoms may be
the same or similar, but treatment is
different.
Treatment for bipolar disorder
includes use of drugs known as
mood stabilizers, such as Lithium.
Sometimes anti-psychotic drugs are
also used; the newer ones, Mago says,
contain mood-stabilizing properties.
Psychotherapy is sometimes offered,
but the most important thing for the
patient to do is faithfully take the
drugs prescribed.