Mood Disorders Flashcards
What differentiates Mild and Severe Mood disorders?
If need to be hospitalized then severe, if not then mild.
What differentiates stable and alternating mood disorders?
If mood is constant then it is stable, and if it is fluctuating between depression (low end) and mania (high end) then it is alternating.
What is an example of stable mild and severe mood disorder?
Stable mild disorder is dysthymia (depression), stable severe mood disorder is unipolar or MDD.
What is an example of an alternating mild and stable mood disorder?
Alternating mild mood disorder is Cyclothymia, alternating severe mood disorder is bipolar (manic depression) disorder.
What is the time frame of mild and severe in order to make the distinction?
Mild cyclothymia or dysthymia is 2 years, whereas severe unipolar or bipolar disorder is 2 weeks. Less than these cut offs the patient is considered normal.
What are the signs of dysthamia?
“Depressed mood” meaning feeling empty, loss of interest or pleasure, has to be chronic (2+ years) and not severe enough to be hospitalized. Increased or decreased appetite and sleep, depending. Fatigue. Decreased self esteem, sense of hopelessness. Low concentration for long time. Functional but sub optimal.
What differentiates cyclothymia from bipolar?
The difference in amplitude, cyclothymia is mild up and down of moods, bipolar is of extremes.
What does it mean that someone who is cyclothhymic is ego-syntonic?
They think nothing is wrong with them, its the people around them that are messed up.
What is Seasonal Affective Disorders (SAD)?
Symptoms during winter months as associated with decreased sunlight.
Describe the “atypical symptoms” of Seasonal Affective disorders?
They eat and sleep a lot but they have decreased energy.
What is the cause and tx of seasonal affective disorder?
The cause is inappropiate melatonin metabolism, the tx is bright light therapy.
