Mood Disorders (Bipolar Depression)

Mood Disorders (Bipolar Depression)

In the recent past, there has been an increase in the cases of mood disorders reported.  A significant percentage of the reported cases involve children and adolescents. The mood disorder is primarily analyzed into two elements; unipolar and bipolar. These aspects of mood disorders lead to depression. Young people just joining adulthood are more prone to mood disorders. Studies have indicated numerous changes happening to their bodies right after puberty. Other causes of mood disorder could be related to predisposing social factors, biological or physiological factors. It is effortless to notice individuals suffering from mood disorders. They can be diagnosed across the lifespan or along with the cultural constructs. For instance, a state of helplessness, which is a significant sign of mood disorder, could be realized by the victim giving up and failing to show efforts in anything. This disorder causes frustration and could lead to adverse effects such as suicide. Therefore, it is a condition that requires strict attention so that a victim suffering could be attended to early enough. The purpose of this paper is to share insights on mood disorders, highlighting how a state of helplessness or depression could be noticeable and be curbed.

Depression is one of the common types of mood disorders. It is a condition that affects the cognitive features of a person. The mode of thinking, feeling, and carrying out of daily activities is affected. For one to be diagnosed with depression, the symptoms must have been persistent for more than two weeks. Depression has different forms, some of which develop under unique circumstances. However, this paper primarily focuses on bipolar depression. Although different from other types of depression, bipolar is a severe condition that affects the moods of an individual. Such people experiences episodes of low moods, which perfectly fit the criterion used to describe depression. Similarly, an individual with bipolar depression experiences extreme episodes of moods. These extreme moods are referred to as mania or hypomania if they are not very severe.

Significant symptoms of bipolar include episodes of extreme moods or low moods.  Several other signs, if experienced for more than two weeks, mean a person may be suffering from depression. Such other symptoms include; difficulties or slow in making a decision, weight/appetite changes, problems in sleeping, suicidal thoughts or attempts, among others. (Thapar, Collishaw, Pine, & Thapar, 2012). However, not every person suffering from depression will exhibit the said symptoms. Some do not show these symptoms widely, while others tend to exhibit all the signs.  The inversing display of symptoms among people suffering from bipolar depression makes it difficult to notice. Nevertheless, since most people show at least a number of the said signs, it becomes easy dealing with them. Before depression develops into later stages, which is often dangerous, subsyndromal treatment could help them. (Rocha, Zeni, Caetano, & Kieling. 2013).  Otherwise, if not treated early, it could lead to catastrophes. That is the reason it is very crucial to identify people suffering from depression and presents them for therapies soon enough. Psychologists suggest that different forms of treatments could apply to depression patients and heal them.

I have had a couple of experiences with a depressed individual. The most traumatic was one involving my closest friend. He was a very clever boy ever since he was a child. He used to be at the top of his school. His excellent performance earned him in significant colleges and finally into the university. He met so many people around the university and fell a victim of influence. He indulged in drugs and substance abuse, to the point of missing his lecturers without caring. His colleagues, who had joined university with him, were proceeding very well with their learning. It got to a point where the reality dawned on him. He realized he had wasted so much time that his colleagues were graduating, whereas he was not. He was very disturbed. His parents were expecting an invitation to graduation. He did not know how exactly to approach them, especially since he was lying to them all the time. He became so stressed for feeling that his life was tearing apart. Unfortunately, there was no one around whom he trusted to share his worries with him. He kept his thoughts to himself, which consequently developed into venom corroding him from inside. It was not until after two weeks to his graduation that I met him. I had known him to be very humorous, but he seemed so off. He kept to himself and did not seem to enjoy my company. He had lost a lot of weight and had difficulties maintaining a conversation. Being my friend from childhood, I knew something was bothering him, and I booked him a counselor. I had not taken a step to get him a counselor. I could not be speaking of his experience since he confided in me that before I met him, he had started having suicidal thoughts.

Depression could be largely be attributed to the state of feeling helpless. So many things could cause this state. Among the children, post-traumatic disorders are prevalent. Teenagers and adolescents suffer depression due to the reality dawning onto them differently from what they had expected. They tend to generalize everything, especially after puberty, when their bodies are undergoing serious changes. However, depression is a treatable condition since the signs and symptoms are apparent. Therefore, people need to be vigilant of their friends and those close to them so that in case they notice any sign associated with mood disorders; they can seek medical attention early enough before the situation escalates.

Reference

Rocha, T., Zeni, C., Caetano, S., & Kieling, C. (2013). Mood disorders in childhood and adolescence. Retrieved 8 February 2020, from

Thapar, A., Collishaw, S., Pine, D. S., & Thapar, A. K. (2012). Depression in adolescence. The Lancet, 379(9820), 1056-1067.