Mood disorders are a category of illnesses that describe a serious change in mood.If your emotions and moods seem out of your control over a long period of time, you may have a mood disorder.
Moods are our emotions. They affect us every day.
Sometimes we’re sad, other times we’re happy. We might even be sad and happy in
the same day. But sometimes people’s mood can get “stuck” on sad. Or the moods
might change a lot or become extreme. When this happens, it affects our lives.
And it might be caused by a group of mental illnesses called mood disorders.
Mood disorders fall into the basic groups of elevated
mood, such as mania or hypomania; depressed mood, of which the best-known and
most researched is major depressive disorder (MDD) (commonly called clinical
depression, unipolar depression, or major depression); and moods which cycle between
mania and depression.
Illness under mood disorders include: major depressive
disorder, bipolar disorder (mania - euphoric, hyperactive, over inflated ego,
unrealistic optimism), persistent depressive disorder (long lasting low grade
depression), cyclothymia (a mild form of bipolar disorder), and SAD (seasonal
affective disorder).
These disorders, also called affective disorders,
may involve:
·Feeling sad all the time
·Losing interest in important parts of life
·Fluctuating between extreme happiness and
extreme sadness
Some examples of mood disorders include:
·Major depressive disorder — prolonged and
persistent periods of extreme sadness.
·Bipolar disorder — also called manic depression
or bipolar affective disorder, depression that includes alternating times of
depression and mania.
·Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) — a form
of depression most often associated with fewer hours of daylight in the far
northern and southern latitudes from late fall to early spring.
·Cyclothymic disorder — a disorder that
causes emotional ups and downs that are less extreme than bipolar disorder.
·Premenstrual dysphoric disorder — mood
changes and irritability that occur during the premenstrual phase of a woman's
cycle and go away with the onset of menses.
·Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia)
— a long-term (chronic) form of depression.
·Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder — a
disorder of chronic, severe and persistent irritability in children that often
includes frequent temper outbursts that are inconsistent with the child's
developmental age.
·Depression related to medical illness — a
persistent depressed mood and a significant loss of pleasure in most or all
activities that's directly related to the physical effects of another medical
condition
·Depression induced by substance use or
medication ― depression symptoms that develop during or soon after substance
use or withdrawal or after exposure to a medication
DISCLAIMER: All the information
being provided her has been sourced from the internet and books and some also
via personal experiences. It has no medical authentication per se so
suggestions if followed must be done in consultation with a trained mental
health professional.
According to the surgeon general,
approximately one out of every five children has a diagnosable mental illness.Children can develop the same mental
health conditions as adults, but their symptoms may be different.
Children, however, are developing mentally and
physically, and their behavior may be difficult to analyze. Actions such as
anxiety, anger, and shyness can be a part of developmental growth or a temporary
condition rather than an illness. When troubling behaviors occur over a period
of time or in a way that disrupts daily life, they are considered symptoms of a
disorder.
Studies have shown that these children, if left
untreated by a mental health professional, will likely to grow up and repeat
these same behaviors with their children.
Children need to have a good mental health status if
they are going to live up to their full potential and truly live a life that is
filled with positive experiences and the willingness to do what is best for
themselves and the people around them. Children with mental health issues will
have a difficult time acclimating to different situations.
Some children have to deal with a childhood that is
filled with angst, resentment, hatred, distrust, and constant negativity. They
have a difficult time coping with their emotions. Many children just naturally
feel depressed or have anxiety issues. When these issues are not dealt with in
the proper fashion, the children tend to have lower self-esteem and they
struggle in the educational environment.
Initial diagnosis is based on reports of behavior from
parents, caregivers, and teachers in order to understand how the child
functions in different situations.The following disorders
are common in childhood:
•Anxiety
•Attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
•Eating
problems
•Bathroom
issues
•Feelings
of sadness, or moodiness
•Disruptive
behaviour
•Learning
disorders, such as dyslexia
•Involuntary
movements , or tics
•Schizophrenia,
or distorted thoughts and feelings
Some disorders begin in childhood and
continue into adolescence and adulthood. Others go away or improve with age,
and some begin later in life. Alarmingly, however, 70% of children and young
people who experience a mental health problem have not had appropriate
interventions at a sufficiently early age.
If they have a warm, open relationship
with their parents/caregivers, children will usually feel able to tell them if they are
troubled. One of the most important ways parents can help is to listen to them
and take their feelings seriously. They may want a hug, they may want you to
help them change something or they may want practical help.
Some tips for
parents:
•Be
aware of your child’s media use - TV, movies, Internet, gaming devices and
online games.
•Provide
time for physical activity, play, and family activities.
•Be
a role model by taking care of your own mental health: Talk about your
feelings. Make time for things you enjoy.
•Associate
no shame or fear with mental illness.
DISCLAIMER: All the information
being provided her has been sourced from the internet and books and some also
via personal experiences. It has no medical authentication per se so
suggestions if followed must be done in consultation with a trained mental
health professional.
His
urge to eat less or more food has spiraled out of control.
He is overly
concerned about his outward appearance? Eating disorder?
At least 30 million people of all ages and
genders suffer from an eating disorder in the U.S. Every 62 minutes at least
one person dies as a direct result from an eating disorder.
Eating Disorders describe illnesses that
are characterized by irregular eating habits and severe distress or concern
about body weight or shape.
Eating disturbances may include
inadequate or excessive food intake which can ultimately damage an individual’s
well-being.Disordered eating issues can develop during any stage
in life but typically appear during the teen years or young adulthood.
Body image includes both how you feel about your
appearance and what you see when you look at yourself in the mirror. Often,
this mental image can be quite different than reality, especially for those
struggling with an eating disorder. When you feel poorly about your appearance,
you are often more vulnerable to other mental disorders, such as anxiety and
depression.
While eating disorders arise from a complex mix of
genetics, environment, and personal triggers, it is also true that the
media images we are faced with every day have the potential to heighten our
body image issues.
Eating disorders are broken down into the categories
of:
·Anorexia Nervosa
- not getting enough calories in
·Body Dysmorphic Disorder
- obsession with an imaginary defect in physical appearance or an extreme
concern with a slight physical blemish
·Bulimia Nervosa
- recurrent episodes of binge eating followed by induced vomiting,excessive
exercise or use of laxatives
·Binge Eating Disorder-
lack of control over eating during the episode
·Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake
Disorder - lack of control over eating during the episode
·Other Specified Feeding or Eating
Disorder- meet some of the criteria for an eating disorder,
but not all
·Pica
- eating of substances that have no nutritional value for a period of at least
one month
·Rumination Disorder-
repeated regurgitation of food for at least one month
·Unspecified Feeding or Eating
Disorder – disorders which do not meet the criteria of any of
the above disorders, but still cause great emotional upset or interferes with
daily life.
Because of the severity and complexities of these
conditions, a comprehensive and professional treatment is often
fundamental in establishing healing and recovery. With the mass amount of
misguided information about eating disorders, it is common for these serious
illnesses to be misunderstood, oversimplified, or greatly generalized.
Understanding the implications of eating disorders can
help increase awareness about ways to get help. People with eating disorders
may appear healthy, yet be extremely ill and need a comprehensive recovery plan
including a psychotherapist, physician and dietitian.
DISCLAIMER: All the information being provided her has been sourced
from the internet and books and some also via personal experiences. It has no
medical authentication per se so suggestions if followed must be done in
consultation with a trained mental health professional.
