All forms of depression and bipolar disorders are collectively referred to as mood disorders by medical practitioners.
Individuals of all ages might experience mood disorders. The symptoms that adults experience are not necessarily the same in kids and teenagers. Because they aren't always able to verbalize their emotions, children with mood disorders are more difficult to identify.
Mood Disorder | Treatment, Diagnosis & Risk factor
ü Treatment:
Following are the ways to treat Mood Disorder:
Ø Medications:
The majority of mood-stabilizing drugs increase levels of serotonin or norepinephrine. Antidepressants are frequently taken for depressive disorders to raise these neurotransmitter levels.
Antidepressants frequently alter energy levels, enhance sleep, and have been shown to be successful in elevating mood. Antidepressants of all kinds are shown to perform equally well, but depending on the patient, some may be more successful than others.
If antidepressants are recommended, it's crucial to follow the directions and keep taking them even after you start to feel better. After taking the drug for 4-6 weeks, most people report experiencing a considerable improvement.
Lithium, a sort of mood stabiliser, is frequently initially recommended to people with bipolar disorder who experience mania. By lowering aberrant brain activity, mood stabilisers are drugs that are used to help control the mood fluctuations associated with bipolar disorder.
In most cases, they aid in shielding a person from the tremendous highs of a manic episode and the terrible lows of a depressed episode. In addition to treating psychosis, antipsychotics, once known as tranquillizers, can also be used to treat bipolar disorder and depression.
They can be particularly helpful for bipolar patients who have manic or mixed episodes. If symptoms of depression cannot be controlled by an antidepressant alone, they may also occasionally be used to treat the condition.
Mood Disorder | Treatment, Diagnosis & Risk factor
Ø Psychotherapy:
Healthcare professionals frequently advise a combination of medication and psychotherapy for more successful treatment, despite the fact that drugs on their own can help with some of the symptoms of mood disorders.
Cognitive behavioural therapy is a common form of psychotherapy that has worked well for many people (CBT). With the guidance of a therapist, a patient engages in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to challenge harmful attitudes and behaviours and replace them with constructive ones.
This may entail questioning some of the detrimental thought patterns and learning to spot them when they emerge in normal circumstances. For people with depression, this therapy has proven to be extremely useful.
Mood Disorder | Treatment, Diagnosis & Risk factor
Ø Therapies for brain stimulation:
When medication or psychotherapy has failed to help a patient with severe depression or bipolar illness, electroconvulsive treatment, a type of brain stimulation therapy, has been employed.
Electrodes affixed to the scalp or forehead conduct an electric current across the brain during this treatment. The average number of sessions for the treatment is 2 or 3 per week, with 6 to 12 sessions being needed for maximum success.
Another form of treatment is known as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (RTMS), which targets particular brain nerve cells with brief electromagnetic pulses using non-invasive magnetic coils.
The treatment has been shown to be effective in easing symptoms of serious depression in patients who do not react to at least one antidepressant medication.
Ø Lifestyle:
Aside from taking drugs and receiving therapeutic treatments for mood disorders, people can alter their lifestyles to assist manage their symptoms or prevent the development of mood disorders altogether. Some of these ways of life adjustments include:
• Keeping a regular sleep pattern and making sure you receive enough rest.
• In some cases, lowering stress levels at work or home.
• Keeping a mood journal to record signs of impending manic or depressed episodes.
• Steering clear of alcohol and illegal drugs.
• Consuming a nutritious, well-balanced diet.
• Regular physical activity, especially aerobic activity.
• Practicing yoga, mindfulness, meditation, or other types of relaxation.
Diagnosis:
A mental health specialist, such as a psychiatrist, should appropriately assess and treat mood disorders. You should get help right away if any of your symptoms are negatively affecting your life, especially if you are thinking about taking your own life.
In order to rule out any physical causes for your symptoms, a doctor will undertake a physical examination, lab testing, and a psychiatric evaluation.
What Are the Risk Factors for Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar disorder typically first manifests in a person during late adolescence or early adulthood. Rarely, it may occur while the child is younger. A family history of bipolar disorder may exist.
It is equally likely to affect males and women. Having four or more distinct mood episodes in a year is known as "rapid cycling," and it is slightly more common in women than in males. In addition, bipolar women tend to experience more depressive episodes than bipolar males.
Women typically develop the bipolar disorder later in life, and they are more likely to have bipolar disorder II and have seasonal mood swings.
Women are also more likely to experience dual medical and mental health problems. Thyroid disease, migraines, and anxiety problems are a few examples of these medical conditions.
The following factors increase your risk of having bipolar disorder:
• A family member suffering from bipolar disorder.
• Experiencing a period of extreme stress or trauma
• Abuse of drugs or alcohol
• Specific medical conditions
When manic or sad, many people with the disease abuse alcohol or other substances. Seasonal depression, concurrent anxiety disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder are more prevalent in people with bipolar disorder.
Mood Disorder | Treatment, Diagnosis & Risk factor Mood Disorder | Treatment, Diagnosis & Risk factor
