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What Are the Most Common
Mood Disorders?

Mental health conditions like mood disorders are linked to a range of emotional effects. While these effects can cause major disruptions to a person’s life, it is possible to overcome mood disorders by limiting their impact with the proper treatment. Here are some of the most common mood disorders and their effects:

Depression

Depression is perhaps the best-known mood disorder, although medical researchers still struggle to understand the condition. People with clinical depression experience continual feelings of deep sadness, as well as cognitive and physical effects. Depression can sometimes result from changes in the seasons, or the condition may be chronic, meaning it lasts for two years or longer.

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorders impact a person’s regulation of their moods. This common mental health condition can also affect how a person thinks and behaves, as well as how energetic they feel. Bipolar disorders are separated into a few distinct categories:

  • Bipolar I – The primary feature of bipolar I is episodic mania with or without cycles of depression. Mania is characterized by extreme elevated moods that feature an increase in activity and/or energy levels. 
  • Bipolar II – With bipolar II, mania is less severe and manic episodes are always coupled with bouts of depression. 
  • Cyclothymia – Rarer than bipolar I and II, cyclothymia also features emotional fluctuations, but these fluctuations are not as extreme as with other bipolar disorders. In many cases, symptoms of cyclothymia range from mild to moderate.

Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)

DMDD is a mood disorder that impacts children, with most diagnoses occurring in kids under the age of ten. Children with DMDD exhibit frequent irritability, as well as outbursts a few times per week. These outbursts are generally not suitable for the circumstances surrounding them, which can impact a child’s life in numerous ways.

What Can Be Done About Mood Disorders?

The effects of mood disorders are complex, and most people experience a significant decrease in quality of life as a result. Fortunately, mood disorders can often be treated through a combination of therapy and medication. With the right treatment, most people are able to manage mood disorders effectively.

 
 
 

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