PSYC 2351 Chapter 4: Mood Disorders and Suicide
Document Summary
Mood disorders: involve more severe alterations in mood for longer periods of time than is "normal"; these mood disturbances are intense and persistent enough to lead to serious problems in relationships and work performance. Abnormal mood is the defining features of these disorders. Mania: characterized by intense and unrealistic feelings of excitement and euphoria. Mixed-episodes are possible where the affected individual experiences rapidly altering moods such as sadness, euphoria and irritabi lity in the same episode. Unipolar depressive disorders: a person experiences only depressive episodes. Bipolar and related disorders: a person experiences both depressive and manic disorders. Must persist for at least a week with three or more additional symptoms occurring in the same time period. Hypomanic episode: a milder form of a manic episode in which a person experiences abnormally elevated, expansive, or irritable mood for at least 4 days.
