Disorders+and+Definitions

= Mood Disorders: Definitions =




 * Mood Disorders:** Group of disorders involving severe and enduring disturbances in emotionality ranging from elation to severe depression.


 * Major Depressive Disorders:** Most common and severe experience of depression, including feelings of worthlessness, disturbances in bodily activities such as sleep, loss of interest, and the inability to experience pleasure, persisting for at least 2 weeks.


 * Mania:** Period of abnormally excessive elation or euphoria, associated with some mood disorders.


 * Hypomanic Episode:** Less severe and less disruptive version of a manic episode, that is one of the criteria for several mood disorders.


 * Mixed Manic Episode:** Condition in which the individual experiences both elation and depression or anxiety at the same time. Also known as Dysphoric Manic episode.


 * Major Depressive Disorder: Single or Recurrent Episode:** Mood disorder involving one (single episode) or more (seperated by at least 2 months without depression: recurrent) major depressive episodes.


 * Dysthymic disorder:** Mood disorder involving persistently depressed mood, low self-esteem, withdrawl, pessimism, or despair, and is present for at least 2 years with no absence of symptoms for more than 2 months.

**Double depression:** Severe mood disorder typified by major depressive episodes superimposed over a background of Dysthymic Disorder.
 * Pathological or Impacted Grief Reaction:** Extreme reaction to the death of a loved one that involves psychotic features, suicidal ideation, or severe loss of weight or energy that persists more than 2 months.


 * Bipolar II disorder:** The alternation of major depressive episodes with hypomanic (not full manic) episodes.


 * Bipolar I disorder:** The alternation of major depressive episodes with full manic episodes.


 * Cyclothymic disorder:** Chronic (at least 2 years) mood disorder characterized by alternating mood elevation and depression levels that are not as severe as manic or major depressive episodes.


 * Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):** Mood disorder involving a cycling of episodes corresponding to the seasons of the year, typically with depression occurring during the winter.


 * Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT):** Biological treatment for severe, chronic depression involving the application of electrical impulses through the brain to produce seizures. The reasons for its effectiveness are unknown.


 * Cognitive Therapy:** Treatment approach that involves identifying and altering negative thinking styles related to psychological disorders such as depression and anxiety, and replacing them with more positive beliefs and attitudes. Ultimately resulting in more adaptive behavior and coping styles.


 * Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT):** Newer brief treatment approach that emphasizes resolution of interpersonal problems and stressors, such as role disputes in marital conflict or forming relationships in marriage or a new job. It has demonstrated effectiveness for such problems as depression.


 * Suicidal Attempts:** Efforts made to kill oneself.


 * Suicidal Ideation:** Serious thoughts about committing suicide.


 * Psychological autopsy:** Postmortem psychological profile of a suicide victim constructed from interviews with people who knew the person before death.

//>All definitions found in Textbook: Essentials of Abnormal Psychology,4th Edition, Chapter 6: Mood Disorders and Suicide.<//