Abnormal Psychology - Mood Disorders

The purpose of this essay is to discuss the clinical differences in the diagnosis of both Major Depressive Disorder (Unipolar depression) and Bipolar Depression can be made on the basis of characteristics of a Major Depressive Episode (MDE). That is, can an MDE in patients with Major Depressive Disorder be differentiated from a MDE in patients with Bipolar Disorder? Firstly, the extremes in mood, Major Depressive Episode and mania/hypomania will be defined and it will be explained how they contribute to a diagnosis of MDD or Bipolar Disorder based on the diagnostic criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Secondly, the importance of differentiating the two disorders based on MDE characteristics will be explained. Thirdly, the literature on the clinical characteristics of MDE in Bipolar and Unipolar Depression will be reviewed. Lastly, this essay will touch on what this means for clinicians in their decisions in diagnosing patients with Major Depressive Disorder or Bipolar disorder.

Additionally, there was weak evidence to support the DSM-5 definition of mixed features for depression historically and scientifically. Overlapping criteria such as psychomotor agitation, irritability, and mood liability are found to be the core features of mixed depression. Due to this criterion, it is possible that many patients with mixed depression will most likely be diagnosed and treated inadequately. Instead, the evidence found supports the clinical validity for an alternative definition for agitated depression and mixed depression (Koukopoulos & Sani, 2013). According to Zisook et al (2013),

There are many types of mental disorders, but not all of us know what they are. The first type is a mood disorder. Mood disorders are mental disturbances in one’s mood. Some of these are mania, depression and Bipolar disorder, which is a combination of both mania and depression. In mania you get extreme happiness and in depression you get extreme sadness. Furthermore, mania can cause rage and mumble of speech from being over active, and 15% of people with depression causes suicide. These can fluctuate on and off for each one.

Mood Disorders are the result of severe or manic depression that occurs past a normal state of depression. When one has a normal depressed mood, he or she responds to the quandary of news or event in his or her own life however, are usually able to return to their normal state within a short time. Those who are diagnosed with a Mood Disorder are not able to return to their normal state. The DSM-IV segregates and identifies the distinctiveness of the mood disorders into axes that are then utilized in classifying the disorders to ensure the proper treatment associated for the sufferer. This technique assisted psychiatrists in efficiently rendering a fair diagnosis in moderate to severe disorders. There are more than ten million people

Also known as manic-depressive illness, bipolar disorder is defined as a brain disorder that causes atypical changes in moods, activity, and energy level. People diagnosed with bipolar disorder experience manic and depressive episodes. Whereas manic episodes feature overexcitement and hyperactivity, depressive episodes feature extreme sadness and lack of activity (Walsh, 2014). There are two major types of bipolar disorder. The first is bipolar

On the other hand, mood disorders have proven to last longer and take longer to adjust to treatments. One example of a mood disorder is Bipolar Disorder. By definition, bipolar disorder is a disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks (“Bipolar Disorder", 2016). Within the umbrella of Bipolar Disorder there are several different types all ranging from extremely high moods to feelings of hopelessness and despair. These types of episodes can be categorized into either manic episodes or depressive episodes. It is also possible to experience features of both types of episodes. These types of occurrences are the most appropriate signs of having a bipolar disorder. Because of the similarities between symptoms of a mood disorder, such as the ones listed as signs of a bipolar disorder, and other illnesses it can be very challenging to directly diagnose. Often times, a mood disorder can be accompanied by other illnesses such as an eating disorder, substance abuse, or an anxiety disorder. (Choi-Kain & Gunderson, Borderline Personality and Mood Disorders: Comorbidity and Controversy,

Physical symptoms can include changes in appetite, changes in sleep, vocal outbursts or crying, difficulty concentrating, fatigue and low energy, and physical complaints such as stomachaches, headaches. In most cases there tends to be a reduced ability to function during events and activities at home or with friends, in school, extracurricular activities, and in other hobbies or interests that are caused by feelings of worthlessness or guilt (Cummings et al., 2014).

Psychological symptoms such as anxiety, depressed mood, irritability, high & low emotions, poor sleep, poor concentration, desire to be alone.

In 1957, Karl Leonhard a German psychologist coined the term ‘bipolar’ for those patients with depression that also experienced mania. In 1966, Jules Angst and C. Perris independently demonstrated that unipolar depression disorder could be differentiated in terms of clinical presentation, evolution, family history and therapeutic response. Their ideas stood the test of time and became assimilated in both the two main modern systems of classification for the diagnosis of mental disorder: the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association and the International Classification of Disease published by the World Health Organization (NCBI, 2006).

Once an individual meets the criterion of abnormal behaviour, then the type of disorder has to be identified. "Mood disorders are a class of disorders marked by emotional disturbances of varied kinds that may spill over to disrupt physical, perceptual, social, and thought processes" (586). There are

The diagnostic criteria established in the (DSM-IV TR) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision: DSM-IV-TR, (2000), or the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision (2007), represents the bench mark by which mental health care professionals in the United States diagnose mood disorders. The evaluation of an individual with a suspected mood disorder should ideally begin with a comprehensive examination by a physician. As medical conditions and side effects of medications must be ruled out as potential causes of symptoms. The medical examination should then be followed by an evaluation with a mental health professional. The evaluation by the mental health professional should include a complete history of symptoms, including when they started, how long they have lasted and how severe they are. It should also note whether the individual has experienced these symptoms before and, if so, whether and how they were treated. The

Lots of people everyday experience mood changes in their lives. They feel happy or energetic when things are going their way. Maybe Sam got a bonus at work or Elias caught a peek of the pretty girl he has been crushing on for weeks. They feel sad or dismayed when things are not going their way. Possibly Chris’s laptop went shot or Danielle just found out her favorite sister has cancer. These feelings are normal and usually do not last very long. When feelings of intense sadness or feelings or extreme elation last for a long time and they interfere with normal functioning they are considered to be mood disorders such as depression or mania (Comer, 2011, p. 193).

At least three of the following symptoms: restlessness, fatigue, poor concentration, irritability, muscle tension, sleep disturbance.

1. Prior to the DSM-IIIR, conditions that are currently characterized as mood disorders were referred to by several different names, including all of the following EXCEPT: A. B. C. D. 2. depressive disorders affective disorders psychotic episodes depressive neuroses

This case study introduces the concept of mood disorders defined as “the elevation or lowering of a person’s mood, such as depression or bipolar disorder: ‘true clinical depression is a mood disorder, which can interfere with everyday life for an extended time’ Also called affective disorder “(Oxford Dictionary Online).