Cause, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Mood Disorders Essay

Writer discusses and describes symptoms and statistics of mental health disorders that were researched before a diagnosis was made.

The typical description of a disease would be something that causes unwanted effects on the body; however, mental illnesses show few physical symptoms and cause problems that outsiders can rarely see. Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), to be specific, is a complex disorder that occurs when a person has five of the following symptoms: a depressed mood, diminished pleasure, weight loss or gain, insomnia, lethargy, problems with concentrating, fatigue, feeling worthless, or having thoughts of suicide (Myers 3). While MDD is chronic, depression is the infrequent counterpart. The official etiology of depression is important because it is widespread and is becoming increasingly more common. Knowing why an illness occurs, in theory, can help physicians

The book is organized well for the reader to transition between topics and phrases, and it does not contain language that is specific to clinical providers. The author explains definitions and interprets his meanings of topics or words to the reader. The book provides references for historical mental health information and diagnoses, and insight into the author’s perceptions by describing observations and experiences. The author’s tone is elevated, as if in a personal dialectal debatable conversation, and can be perceived as a negative opinion towards the Diagnostic Statistical Manuel 5.

The purpose of this essay is to discuss the clinical differences in the diagnosis of both Major Depressive Disorder (Unipolar depression) and Bipolar Depression can be made on the basis of characteristics of a Major Depressive Episode (MDE). That is, can an MDE in patients with Major Depressive Disorder be differentiated from a MDE in patients with Bipolar Disorder? Firstly, the extremes in mood, Major Depressive Episode and mania/hypomania will be defined and it will be explained how they contribute to a diagnosis of MDD or Bipolar Disorder based on the diagnostic criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Secondly, the importance of differentiating the two disorders based on MDE characteristics will be explained. Thirdly, the literature on the clinical characteristics of MDE in Bipolar and Unipolar Depression will be reviewed. Lastly, this essay will touch on what this means for clinicians in their decisions in diagnosing patients with Major Depressive Disorder or Bipolar disorder.

The severe mood fluctuations of bipolar or manic-depressive disorders have been around since the 16-century and affect little more than 2% of the population in both sexes, all races, and all parts of the world (Harmon 3). Researchers think that the cause is genetic, but it is still unknown. The one fact of which we are painfully aware of is that bipolar disorder severely undermines its' victims ability to obtain and maintain social and occupational success. Because the symptoms of bipolar disorder are so debilitation, it is crucial that we search for possible treatments and cures.

Additionally, there was weak evidence to support the DSM-5 definition of mixed features for depression historically and scientifically. Overlapping criteria such as psychomotor agitation, irritability, and mood liability are found to be the core features of mixed depression. Due to this criterion, it is possible that many patients with mixed depression will most likely be diagnosed and treated inadequately. Instead, the evidence found supports the clinical validity for an alternative definition for agitated depression and mixed depression (Koukopoulos & Sani, 2013). According to Zisook et al (2013),

Psychological disorders are stated to be abnormalities of the mind, known as mental disorders (Klasco, 2011). Abnormalities of the mind cause persistent behaviors that affect an individual’s daily function and life (Klasco, 2011). The different types of psychological disorders include mood disorders, personality disorders, anxiety disorders, and eating disorders (Klasco, 2011). The causes of these disorders are unknown, but factors that contribute to these disorders include childhood experiences, chemical imbalances in the brain, illnesses, heredity, stress, and prenatal exposures (Klasco, 2011). Psychological disorders can be serious and can be life-threatening

The failure to properly recognize patients who experience symptoms that precipitate those of bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder can lead to misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment. Although diagnostic errors can be made with caution and conscious awareness, the patient’s condition may worsen over time or possibly lead to a tragic death. The purpose of this analysis is to offer insight into the elements of bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder (MDD). Upon doing so, the reader is presented with a better foundation and understanding of the differences between these two mental illnesses.

Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder that is characterized by episodes of mania, hypomania, or major depression [1]. It affects approximately 5.7 million adult Americans, or about 2.6% of the U.S. population over 18 yearly. The median age of onset for bipolar disorder is 25 years old though individuals can be diagnosed in early childhood or as late as fifty. The incidence of Bipolar disorder is equal between men and women though women undergo cycles of balanced mood, mania, hypomania, and depression three times as frequently as men [2]. This disorder is suspected to have a genetic component as more than 66% of individuals diagnosed have at least one close relative with the illness or with unipolar major depression [3]. There are two subtypes of Bipolar disorder. Patients diagnosed with Bipolar I experience manic episodes and nearly always experience major depressive and hypomanic episodes. Individuals with Bipolar II disorder have at least one hypomanic episode and one major depressive episode in the absence of manic episodes [1].

The form of depression that seems to be the most interesting is bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is defined as a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in moods, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day to day tasks (NIMH, 2016). Bipolar disorder can be very dangerous if not properly diagnosed and treated. However, when diagnosed and treated by either a doctor or a mental health professional it is possible to live a normal and productive life.

Genetic factors are also very significant to the development of MDD. LB has many family members that have suffered from mood disorders. Her father suffered from depression along with many other disorders, and her mother received outpatient psychotherapy for depression after her divorce. LB’s maternal aunt and paternal grandfather also had been known to have recurring periods of depression.

Simply put, mood disorders are a type of mental disorder that exhibits noticeable and chronic change in mood, and can cause impaired behavioral, cognitive, or physical function. This is applicable to major depression, because those that suffer from this disorder tend to feel extreme and ongoing worthlessness and hopelessness. There are multiple factors that contribute to this disorder, both biological and psychological. Along with the factors that contribute to this disease, there are multiple treatment options that can be prescribed as

For awhile Depression was found to be diagnosed in a lot of people.From modern day diagnosis there is a fine line between

Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Disorder are both mental illnesses that are debilitating. Normal functioning becomes increasingly difficult as either disorder takes hold of the mind and impacts every facet of the patient’s life. With an increased risk of suicide, they can even lead to an early death. Studies continue on both genetic and environment influences in mental disorders, but neuroscientific research finds out more with each study about how the brain impacts our mental abilities and inabilities. As research opens doors, better treatments can be explored and developed with both medication and psychotherapy. Biological information on mental illness can also help remove the stigma associated with mental illness that tends to belittle the importance of treatment. The more individuals who seek treatment, the more lives who can be positively impacted and even saved. This paper will take a look at several studies that have been performed regarding Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Disorder. Each study deals with biological issues and their impacts on mental illness.

Although there are known, effective treatments for mood-disorders, fewer than half of those affected in the world (in many countries, fewer than 10%) receive such treatments, and most seek attention only after mounting symptomology forces intervention2, 3. Significant global barriers include that mood-disorders are not routinely screened, the incidence of inaccurate diagnosis is high and the absence of ongoing mood-level change assessment rests upon the evaluation of the patient, who is ill. Currently, a major obstacle in the field of mood-disorder diagnostics is that current diagnostics focus on post-symptom self-reports3 which occur after the symptomology has progressed to life-disrupting levels, and breakthroughs focus on expensive, time-consuming equipment4, 5 which do not realistically allow medical professionals access for every patient (i.e., Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or fMRI, which costs approx. $2600 per scan6, and requires a time commitment of approximately 1.5 hours per scan). Early and accurate assessment via a widely accessible model is vital toward the future of mood-disorder diagnostics and treatment.