1. Mood Disorders
Psychotic Period
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
In any given 1-year period, 9.5% of the population, or about
18.8 million American adults, suffer from a depressive illness.

2. depression
2. A depressive disorders involve the body, mood and thoughts.
2. It affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things.
3. Nearly everyone will experience at least some type of mild depression in their life often due to some external sad event.
3. A depressive disorder is not the same as a passing sad mood. It is not a sign of personal weakness or a condition that can be willed or wished away.
4. People with a depressive illness cannot merely "pull themselves together" and get better. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years. Appropriate treatment, however, can help most people who suffer from depression.

3. symptoms of depression
Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood
Changes in appetite and weight loss or weight gain
Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness
Thoughts of death or suicide; suicide attempts
Loss of interest in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed
Restlessness, irritability
Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond to treatment, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain
Decreased energy, fatigue, being "slowed down"
Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
Insomnia, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping

4. types of mood disorders
Major Depressive Disorder
Combination of symptoms that interfere with the ability to work, study, sleep, eat, and enjoy once pleasurable activities.
Such a disabling episode of depression may occur only once but more commonly occurs several times in a lifetime.
5 (or more) of the symptoms have been present during the same 2-week period
Dysthmia (Dysthymic disorder)
A less severe type of depression, dysthymia, involves long-term, chronic symptoms that do not disable, but keep one from functioning well or from feeling good. Many people with dysthymia also experience major depressive episodes at some time in their lives.
Depressed mood for most of the day, for more days than not, as indicated either by subjective account or observation by others, for at least 2 years. Less severe than major depressive disorder.

5. gender differences in rates of depression
Women experience depression about twice as often as men.
Although men are less likely to suffer from depression than women, 3 to 4 million men in the United States are affected by the illness. Men are less likely to admit to depression, and doctors are less likely to suspect it.
The rate of suicide in men is four times that of women, though more women attempt it. In fact, after age 70, the rate of men's suicide rises, reaching a peak after age 85.

6. Gender and Depression 20 15 10 5 Around the world women are more
Percentage
of population
aged 18-84
experiencing
major
depression
at some
point In life 20 15 10 5
USA Edmonton Puerto Paris West Florence Beirut Taiwan Korea New
Rico Germany Zealand
Around the world
women are more
susceptible to

7. Gender and Depression Percentage depressed Age in Years 10% 8 6
Age in Years
10% 8 6 4 2
Percentage
depressed
Females
Males

8. explaining depression
Social-cognitive
“attributional theory”
the depressed person tends to think: internal
("it's my fault"),
stable
("things can't change")
global
("this affects everything")
Biological
Norepinephrine
Serotonin
(people suffering from depression tend to have low levels of both of these neurotransmitters)
Genetics
(if an identical twin suffers from major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder the chances that the other twin will experience symptoms is higher than those with a fraternal twin who is suffering)
Behavioral
Learned helplessness

9. symptoms of bipolar disorder
Cycling mood changes: severe highs (mania) and lows (depression)
Mania often affects thinking, judgment, and social behavior in ways that cause serious problems and embarrassment. Mania, left untreated, may worsen to a psychotic state.
Symptoms of Mania: Abnormal or excessive elation
Overactive / overtalkative
Unusual irritability
Decreased need for sleep
Grandiose notions
Racing thoughts
Increased sexual desire
Markedly increased energy
Poor judgment
Inappropriate social behavior

10. Seasonal Affective Disorder
regularly occurring symptoms of depression (excessive eating and sleeping, weight gain) during the fall or winter months
full remission from depression occurs in the spring and summer months
symptoms have occurred in the past two years, with no nonseasonal depression episodes
seasonal episodes substantially outnumber nonseasonal depression episodes.
a craving for sugary and/or starchy foods

11. CAUSE OF SAD?
Melatonin is normally released by the pineal gland in the evening as sunlight is diminishing. Melatonin causes us to feel tired and withdraw. This helps us to sleep, but if we have to be awake when melatonin is in our system, we become lethargic, disoriented, irritable and moody. Almost everyone with a mood disorder suffers worse in the winter because of excess melatonin in his or her system.