Mood Disorders

Often times people feel sad or annoyed and may say that they are in an irritable mood.  This feeling is different that a mood disorder which affects a person’s everyday emotional state and quality of life.  Approximately one in ten people ages 18 and older have mood disorders.  These include depression and bipolar disorder and can increase a person’s risk of heart disease, diabetes and other diseases. Most people with mood disorders can lead productive with the proper treatment.

Symptoms Of Mood Disorders

  • Inability to take pleasure in former interests
  • Significant changes in appetite and sleep patterns
  • Irritability, anger, worry, agitation, anxiety
  • Pessimism, indifference
  • Loss of energy, persistent lethargy
  • Feelings of sadness, hopelessness, helplessness or inadequacy
  • Continued sadness or unexplained crying spells
  • Unexplained aches and pains
  • Recurring thoughts of death or suicide
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Guilt
  • Hostility or aggression
  • Irritability and mood changes
  • Loss of interest in daily life
  • Problems interacting with loved ones
  • Unexplained weight gain or loss
  • Inability to concentrate, indecisiveness
  • Social withdrawal
"Tough times never last, but tough people do"

-Robert H. Schuller

Helpful Resources For Mood Disorders

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. DBSA provides hope, help, support, and education to improve the lives of people who have mood disorders.
National Alliance of Mental Illness. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.
The American Psychiatric Association is an organization of psychiatrists working together to ensure humane care and effective treatment for all persons with mental illness.