Mood Disorders

Mood disorders describe a range of behavioral issues that may occur in childhood, adolescence, or adulthood.
Mood disorders affect as many as 7% of Americans in any given year. The most common types are depression or mania (or a combination, known as bipolar disorder). Major depressive disorder is the most common diagnosis, and occurs twice as often in women as in men. Mood disorders are considered one of the top ten causes of disability worldwide.

Parents often miss depression in their teenagers. Undiagnosed depression can cause serious life-long problems with achievement, socialization, and health in general. The worst complication of uncontrolled depression is suicide.

HOW ARE MOOD DISORDERS DIFFERENT IN TEENS?
Children and teenagers with mood disorders quite often go undiagnosed. Parents and teachers might simply write the child off as “difficult” and “obstinate,” not realizing there is an underlying psychological issue that must be dealt with by a professional.

DID YOU KNOW?

As many as 14% of children will experience at least one episode of major depression by their 15th birthday? Girls are significantly more likely to experience depression than boys after the age of 16.

The reasons it can be difficult to diagnose depression in adolescents are:

Teens do not always have the verbal skill or vocabulary to be able to express exactly what or how they are feeling;

The symptoms of depression and bipolar disorder are often different in children / teenagers than they are in adults;

A teen might have a dual diagnosis, with the more “obvious” illness masking an underlying problem with depression;

Physicians often do not expect to see mood disorders in teens so they simply do not look for them.

A depressed adolescent may be disruptive, begin showing academic difficulties, and start to develop problems with peer relationships. They may be irritable and aggressive. Often the only way these teens can express their feelings is by saying they hate themselves and their family. They may threaten suicide, but lack of a suicide threat does not mean they are not at risk.

Bipolar disorder also expresses itself differently in teenagers than in adults. Rather than bouts of euphoric moods, the bipolar teen may express the manic behavior through aggression or temper tantrums. Parents report these teens are very “moody, irritable, and aggressive.” These children may have sudden outbursts of anger or crying jags or might seem to be agitated for prolonged periods of time. Many clinicians describe bipolar disorder in this group as more “chronic” rather than “acute.”

TREATMENT AND INTERVENTION FOR TEEN DEPRESSION AND MOOD DISORDERS.
The first step in assessing your child’s mood and mental health status is to contact a local psychologist or psychiatrist who specializes in adolescents.

I made this post because I sometimes have this mood disorder thingy, I mean, I sometimes wake in the morning feeling sad, angry and sometimes I wake with the decision I wont talk, laugh or play with anyone. I have spoken to some good friends about my moods (when I have them) and they have helped me in their own little way. I also read online and that has also helped. I sincerely hope this article will help those that read it.