Defining Mood Disorders
Understanding Emotional Cycles
Definition:
Mood disorders are a category of mental health conditions where a person’s emotional state is significantly disrupted. The most common include Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Bipolar Disorders.
Key Features
Depressive disorders: Prolonged sadness, low motivation, feelings of worthlessness.
Bipolar disorders: Periods of elevated or irritable mood (mania or hypomania) alternating with depression.
Mood disorders are influenced by genetics, neurobiology, and environmental factors.
How It Feels
Depression can make even simple tasks feel heavy, while bipolar mood swings may feel like emotional whiplash — high energy one week, exhaustion the next. Both are treatable and deserve compassion, not judgment.
Treatment and Support
Therapy (CBT, Interpersonal Therapy, or Psychodynamic approaches) and medication are highly effective.
Lifestyle strategies such as consistent sleep, movement, and connection are also vital for regulation.
Why It Matters
Understanding mood disorders reminds us that emotion is not weakness. These are medical and psychological conditions that respond to care, not criticism.
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). DSM-5-TR.
Malhi, G. S., & Mann, J. J. (2018). Depression. The Lancet, 392(10161), 2299–2312.
Jamison, K. R. (2019). An Unquiet Mind. Vintage.
