You may have heard the term mood disorder, but not know exactly what it is referring to. Mood disorders is a broad term that is used to group all types of psychiatric conditions that affect a person’s emotional state. This includes all types of depression and bipolar disorders.
What are the most common mood disorders
There are several mood disorders, but the two most common are depression and bipolar disorder. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is also a common mood disorder. As its name implies, it tends to affect people seasonally, primarily in the fall and winter months when the daylight hours are shorter and the weather colder.
While mood disorders are common, there are some signs to watch out for.
7 Signs of Mood Disorders to Watch For
- Feelings of Hopelessness/Worthlessness – All of us sometimes experience these feelings at some point in our lives, but when they don’t go away after a few days, it becomes a problem.
- Issues with Eating and/or Sleeping – Mood disorders can cause extremes with eating and/or sleeping. They can cause those affected to eat too much and/or sleep too much or they could cause those affected to not eat enough and/or not get enough sleep.
- Concentration Issues – Scattered thinking, foggy thinking, and racing thoughts are all signs of mood disorders. This can be seen as being easily distracted or experiencing too much stress when having to make decisions.
- Thoughts of Suicide or Harming Oneself – Thoughts of worthlessness, especially when they linger more than a day or so often lead to thoughts of suicide.
- Irritability – Some people with mood disorders get sad while others get irritable. This is not the same as being irritable occasionally.
- Low Energy – Those affected by mood disorders often feel a lack of energy to socialize and do everyday things. It can begin to negatively affect work, school, and personal relationships.
- Risky Behavior – Impulsive and risky behavior is often seen in mood disorders. These behaviors may include the sudden quitting of a job and other risky and impulsive behaviors that may have negative financial, healthwise, etc.
When to see a mental health professional
Anyone experiencing two or more of these signs to watch for should see a mental health practitioner.
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