| There are two categories of mood disorders | | | | treatment.The exact cause of mood disorders is |
| recognized by the psychiatric community: unipolar | | | | not known. It does appear that many |
| and bipolar disorder. Both are a type of | | | | combinations of outside events can trigger an |
| depression with the difference being those who | | | | episode. It is known that many people who suffer |
| suffer bipolar disorder, also known as manic | | | | mood disorders also have a chemical imbalance of |
| depression, also experience extreme mood | | | | the brain that makes them more susceptible to |
| swings between depression and episodes of | | | | these depressed feelings. Research has also |
| extreme mania or high energy.The unipolar, or | | | | shown that the different types of mood disorders |
| depression, type of mood disorder can further be | | | | can run in families are thought to be a genetic |
| broken down into the different types of | | | | trait.Treatment of mood disorders varies |
| depression which include:1. Major depression. | | | | depending on the disorder itself and any outside |
| 2. Dysthymia. | | | | influences that may contribute to the disorder. |
| 3. Seasonal affective disorder. | | | | These outside influences include illness, drug or |
| 4. Postpartum depression.Mood disorders are | | | | alcohol abuse or a major life changing event. |
| characterized by continued feelings of sadness, | | | | Normally these need to be dealt with along with |
| despair, guilt, irritability, loss of appetite, constant | | | | the mood disorder for treatment to be |
| fatigue and suicidal thoughts. Different people will | | | | successful.The mood disorder itself can be treated |
| have different combinations of these thoughts | | | | with anti-depressant medication, therapy or a |
| and feelings, making it important for sufferers to | | | | combination of the two. The different types of |
| seek professional help to help sort through the | | | | mood disorder can be treated successfully if its |
| various symptoms. While some of these feelings | | | | sufferers seek help. Unfortunately nearly half of |
| are normal in daily life, when they become an on | | | | the people who suffer from mood disorders |
| going problem that last for weeks, months and | | | | never seek the help they need.Andrew Bicknell is |
| even years it is considered a mood disorder that | | | | a writer and Webmaster. |
| needs some sort of medical or psychiatric | | | | |