Mood Disorders

A mood disorder is a mental health condition that primarily affects your emotional state, leading to prolonged periods of extreme happiness, extreme sadness, or both. Some mood disorders may also involve persistent emotions such as anger and irritability.

While it's normal for moods to fluctuate with different situations, a mood disorder is diagnosed when symptoms persist for several weeks or longer. These disorders can significantly impact your behavior and hinder your ability to perform everyday activities, such as work or school.

What are mood disorders?
Mood disorders are mental health conditions which affect ones emotional state and can trigger negative feelings making it hard to function efficiently in daily life. 

Common mood disorders include:

Major depressive disorder (MDD)
MDD causes extreme feelings of despair and hopelessness that last for months.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
SAD is caused by insufficient access to daylight.

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)
PMDD causes severe mood swings at certain times every month in line with a woman’s menstrual cycle.

Persistent depressive disorder (PDD)
PDD, or dysthymia, is depression that continues for many years.

Bipolar disorder
People with bipolar disorder experience lengthy depressions with manic periods in between.

Cyclothymic disorder
Cyclothymia is a form of bipolar disorder where the changes in mood between depression and mania are less extreme.

What therapies help me manage my mood disorder?
Treatments for mood disorders are broadly similar. There are various medications which balance brain chemicals and stabilize neurotransmitters. In combination with psychotherapies, the outcomes are substantial.