Mood Disorders
Mood disorders encompass everything from mild depression, to post-natal depression, major depression and related disorders, bipolar disorders and seasonal affective disorder. Although we all have ‘down in the dumps’ days where we feel like isolating, demotivated, teary, sleepless etc these symptoms again classify as a disorder when we feel it excessively, for a prolonged period of time AND it starts to affect our daily functioning (eg. work, school, relationships).
Clinical depression is an emotional, physical and cognitive (thinking) state which encompasses the symptoms mentioned above (and more) in an intense and persistent manner. Symptoms significantly impact on a person’s day to day life and functioning (eg. work, social life, relationships). Approximately 1 in 5 people will experience a brief or persistent episode of depression in their lifetime. For depression to be diagnosed, one must exhibit symptoms for longer than 2 weeks.
How will I know if I am depressed?
- Physical signs
– lethargy, low or no motivation and energy, changes in appetite and sleeping patterns, lowered sex drive
- Emotional signs
–consistently depressed low, mood or fluctuating moods, irritability, agitation, lack of enthusiasm, apathy, a sense of gloom, no interest in previously enjoyed activities, withdrawal
- Thinking signs
–there are thinking patterns which closely relate to depression and further perpetuate negative feelings. We call these Unhelpful Thinking Styles (see handout for more information). These types of thoughts are biased, only understanding the world from a singular, negative perspective. One feels a sense of helplessness, hopelessness, worthlessness. A depressed person expects the future to be gloomy, that ‘nothing will ever go right’, that they are to blame for everything and that ‘all is too hard’. There is a tendency to get caught up in dwelling on those thoughts.
- Relational Signs
–when depressed, an individual’s sense of relationships – be it with themselves, their significant others, at work or within a family system is affected. Sometimes, they also feel spiritually disconnected. When depressed, one feels poorly about themselves and feel like others do not understand or care.