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(For mood disorders in children, see Mental Disorders in Children and Adolescents: Depressive Disorders in children and adolescents.)
Mood disorders are emotional disturbances consisting of prolonged periods of excessive sadness, excessive joyousness, or both. Mood disorders are categorized as depressive or bipolar. Anxiety and related disorders (see Anxiety Disorders) also affect mood.
Sadness and joy (elation) are part of everyday life. Sadness is a universal response to defeat, disappointment, and other discouraging situations. Joy is a universal response to success, achievement, and other encouraging situations. Grief, a form of sadness, is considered a normal emotional response to a loss. Bereavement refers specifically to the emotional response to death of a loved one.
A mood disorder is diagnosed when sadness or elation is overly intense, continues longer than expected for a causative event, or occurs without cause; function must also be impaired. In such cases, intense sadness is termed depression, and intense elation is termed mania. Depressive disorders are characterized by depression; bipolar disorders are characterized by varying combinations of depression and mania. However, certain features of depressive and bipolar disorders can overlap, especially when they first occur.
Lifetime risk of suicide (see Suicidal Behavior) for people with a depressive disorder is 2 to 15%, depending on severity of the disorder. Risk is highest initially after hospital discharge, when treatment has been initiated and psychomotor activity is returning to normal but mood is still dark; risk remains high for 1 yr after discharge. Risk is also increased during mixed bipolar states, the premenstrual state, and personally significant anniversaries. Alcohol and substance use increases risk.
Other complications include disability ranging from mild to complete inability to function, maintain social interaction, and participate in routine activities; impaired food intake; and alcoholism and other drug dependencies.
Last full review/revision November 2005
Content last modified November 2005
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