The Anxiety and Depression Association of America reports that approximately 40 million adults are affected by anxiety disorders. A mood disorder occurs when your emotional state is inconsistent or distorted to your circumstances. This distortion can interfere with your ability to function in your life. In addition to affecting your emotional state, a it can increase your risk of a number of diseases, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Furthermore, those suffering from a mood disorder can increase the risk of suicide. Let's take a look at the most common mood disorders and their symptoms.
- Major depressive disorder – Major depressive disorder, also known as clinical depression, causes extended periods of extreme sadness. Sufferers may experience bursts of anger, lose interest in things they once enjoyed and become frustrated easily. Feelings of hopelessness, emptiness and fatigue can overwhelm the sufferer. Sufferers may also have sleep issues, which may include sleeping too much or not getting enough sleep. Weight gain or weight loss often occur due to changes in appetite. Concentration issues, decision making processes and feelings of worthlessness often plague sufferers. Finally, sufferers may be plagued with thoughts of self-harm or suicide.
- Bipolar disorder – Bipolar disorder causes severe mood swings. The sufferer will go from emotional highs that is manias to emotional lows or depression. During the mania stage, the sufferer will have increased energy, their thoughts may occur quickly, and they are typically talkative. During this phase, the sufferer may be able to get a lot of things accomplished; however, their behaviors may become unpredictable and they may take unnecessary risks. Conversely, when the sufferer experiences depression, their mood will be low, they will have low energy levels and the risk of suicide increases.
- Seasonal affective disorder – This mood disorder may feel like depression; however, the symptoms occur when the seasons changes. This mood disorder will occur at the same time each year. Typically, seasonal affective disorder begins in the fall and continues until spring. The symptoms of seasonal affective disorder are similar to other forms of depression and may include low energy levels, anxiety, moodiness, hopelessness and sleep difficulties. When the season changes, the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder will lift until the following fall.
- Premenstrual dysphoric disorder – Premenstrual dysphoric disorder is similar to PMS; however, it is much more intense. The sufferer may experience extreme mood swings, irritability, sadness and anxiety for seven to ten days before their period. According to WebMD, premenstrual dysphoric disorder may be caused by abnormal reactions to the hormone changes that occur during the menstrual cycle.
- Generalized anxiety disorder - Generalized anxiety disorder involves persistent worry about numerous things. General anxiety disorder sufferers may fear disaster, be overly worried about their health, work, family or money. They worry more than the event or issue warrants and expect the worst.
- Panic disorder – A panic disorder causes intense feelings of apprehension or terror. The sufferer may experience uncontrollable shaking, breathing difficulties, confusion, dizziness and nausea. Panic attacks occur suddenly and can escalate rapidly. This disorder is often caused by frightening experiences or prolonged periods of stress.
- Phobias – Phobias cause the sufferer to have an irrational fear about an object or situation. Although the sufferer may know that this fear is irrational, they are unable to control their anxiety. Phobias can be caused by animals, situations or everyday objects.
- Social anxiety – Social anxiety causes the sufferer to fear being embarrassed or judged by others. This disorder can cause sufferers to avoid human contact due to their fear of intimacy or humiliation.
- Obsessive compulsive disorder – Obsessive-compulsive disorder is an anxiety disorder that causes sufferers to obsess on items or activities. These actions or thoughts are irrational, distressing, intrusive and repetitive.
- Post traumatic stress disorder – Post-traumatic stress disorder results from a trauma that has occurred in the past, such as a sexual assault, a serious accident, military combat or a hostage situation. The sufferer will often have flashbacks of the event and will make changes to help avoid the triggers that cause the flashbacks.
There are a number of treatment options that can help with the aforementioned mood disorders. Functional medicine physicians often recommend a variety of therapies to help the patient. This may include cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps to change thought patterns and behaviors by coming up with solutions. These solutions often involve focusing on images, beliefs or thoughts on the incidence that is causing the mood disorder. In addition to this, relaxation techniques like meditation and yoga can help the sufferer relax and put their mood disorder in perspective. Finally, functional medicine practitioners work with their patients to ensure they are eating a well-balanced meal which ensures the brain and body are getting the nutrients that they need for optimal health.
