Mood issues

Mood issues can occur in childhood, adolescence, and into adulthood. The core feature of a mood disorder is either depressed or elated mood that is persistent. Sometimes these issues are referred to as ‘affective’ disorders. But mood disorders commonly impact on more than just mood – thinking, energy, sleep, and appetite are common areas where you might notice changes in someone with a mood disorder. Read on below to learn more about the specific types of mood issues.

Depression 

Depression is a mood disorder characterised by low mood, reduced energy, reduced motivation, and lack of pleasure lasting longer than a month. Depression is also commonly associated with disturbed sleep, change in appetite or weight, agitation or slowing of movements, poor concentration or indecisiveness, feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt, and suicidal thoughts or behaviours.

There are degrees to which a person may be depressed, such as mild, moderate and severe.

Depression is common with one in two people experiencing symptoms of depression at some point in their life. Psychological treatment works well to treat the symptoms of depression, and NICE guidelines recommend CBT to treat mild and moderate depression, whilst for some people medication such as an antidepressant will be the first step in their treatment.

Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that causes people to experience noticeable, sometimes extreme, changes in mood and behaviour. Sometimes children or adults with bipolar disorder feel very happy or “up” and are much more energetic and active than usual. This is called a manic episode. Children with bipolar disorder can feel very sad or “down” and are much less active than usual. This is called a depressive episode.

Bipolar disorder, which used to be called manic-depressive illness or manic depression, is not the same as the normal ups and downs people can usually experience. The mood changes in bipolar disorder are more extreme, often unprovoked, and accompanied by changes in sleep, energy level, and the ability to think clearly. Bipolar symptoms can make it hard for young people to perform well in school or to get along with friends and family members. Similarly, for adults, it can make functioning at work and in relationships a struggle. Some people with bipolar disorder may try to hurt themselves or attempt suicide.

There are multiple subtypes of bipolar disorder, the most common of which are bipolar 1, characterised by manic episodes, and bipolar 2, characterised by hypomanic episodes. Most people are diagnosed with bipolar disorder in adolescence or adulthood, but the symptoms can appear earlier in childhood. Bipolar disorder is often episodic, but it usually lasts a lifetime. Fortunately, there are effective treatments, through a combination of medication and psychological therapy.

Dysthymia (Persistent Depressive Disorder)

Dysthymia is a mood disorder, which is a milder, yet more long-lasting form of major depression. It is also referred to as persistent depressive disorder. People with this illness may also have major depression at times. The best treatment for dysthymia appears to be a combination of psychological therapy and medication.

Peripartum and post-natal depression (PND)

Post-natal depression (PND) is a type of depression that occurs in some woman following the birth of a baby. Depending on the severity of the depression, you may struggle to look after yourself or your baby, and everyday activities may seem more difficult than usual. As with depression, PND can impacts on sleep, appetite, motivation, energy, mood, behaviour, and daily functioning. PND can be very distressing as you may not feel the way you expected on the arrival of your baby, which may result in feelings of guilt and despair.

It’s important to know that PND can happen to anyone and it is not your fault. PND often starts within one or two months of giving birth, though it can start several months after having a baby. About a third of women with PND have symptoms that started in pregnancy and continue after birth. If you think you are experiencing this, speak to you GP, midwife or health officer as soon as possible. Other treatments may involve psychological interventions, medication, and self-care. With appropriate treatment and support, most woman make a full recovery, although it can take time.