Mood Disorders - Depression and Bipolar (Psychiatric Nursing)

Mood disorder is a group of disorders characterized by a decrease or entire loss of control over mood. The mood disturbance may occur in different patterns of severity, duration, alone or in combination.

Common Etiologic Theories

• Genetic theory - if one parent has bipolar disorder. 25% chance of transmission to the child
• Aggression turned inward theory - over-devel0ped superego leads to depression
• Object loss theory - loss of parent before age 11 increase risk of depression
• Personality Organization Theory - obsessive-compulsive, oral dependent, hysterical personalities have higher predisposition to mood disorders
• Cognitive theory - mood disorder results from (-) view of self, (-) interpretation of experience
• Learned Helplessness theory - mood disorder is caused by a belief that one has no control over his environment
• Psychoanalytic theory - mania is a defense against an underlying depression (due to rigid superego)
• Biologic factor - mania is related to increased norepinephrine whiledepression is related to low norepinephrine

Common Precipitating Factors

• loss of loved one
• major life events
• roles strain
• decreased coping resources
• physiologic changes

Different Types of Mood Disorders

1. Depression - it is persistent sad or depressed mood. loss of interest in things that were once pleasurable with disturbance in sleep, appetite, energy and concentration. It is twice more common in females with poorer prognosis in older adults.

2. Bipolar Disorder - it is the two mood states of mania(ranging from euphoria or elation to dysphoria or unpleasant mood) and depression (feeling of sadness)

related topics:
Bipolar disorder
Depression
Mnemonics