Download 2.2 What are Mood Disorders? - Counselling and Psychotherapy in

2.2 What are Mood Disorders?
The DSM-IV (American Psychiatric Association 2000) simply defines mood
disorders as disorders that have a disturbance in mood as their predominant feature.
They are divided into three groups: Depressive Disorders; Bipolar Disorders and
Mood Disorders based on etiology (Mood Disorder due to General Medical Condition
and Substance-Induced Mood Disorder). Qualification for each group, and consequent
diagnosis, depends on the presence or absence of certain episodes: Major Depressive
Episode; Manic Episode; Mixed Episode and Hypomanic Episode. The DSM-IV
provides clear definitions and criteria for each of these episodes and subsequent
definitions and criteria for the related Mood Disorder diagnosis.
The list and characterisations of the Mood Disorders, as provided by the DSM-IV,
are:
Major Depression: One or more Major Depressive Episodes (at least 2 weeks of
depressed mood or loss of interest accompanied by at least 4 symptoms of
depression).
Dysthymic Disorder: At least 2 years of depressed mood for more days than not,
accompanied by additional depressive symptoms that do not meet the criteria for a
Major Depressive Episode.
Depressive Disorder Not Otherwise Specified: Disorders with depressive features that
do not meet criteria for other Disorders or depressive symptoms that have inadequate
or contrary information.
Bipolar I Disorder: One or more Manic or Mixed Episodes, usually accompanied by
Major Depressive Episodes.
Bipolar II Disorder: One or more Major depressive Episodes accompanied by at least
1 Hypomanic Episode.
Cyclothymic Disorder: at least 2 years of numerous periods of Hypomanic symptoms
that do not meet criteria for a manic episode and numerous periods of depressive
symptoms that do not meet criteria for a Major Depressive Episode.
Bipolar Disorder Not Otherwise Specified: Bipolar features that do not meet the
criteria for any of the specific Bipolar Disorders or bipolar symptoms that have
inadequate or contrary information.
Mood Disorder due to General Medical Condition: A prominent and persistent
disturbance in mood that is judged to be a direct physiological consequence of a
general medical condition.
Substance-Induced Mood Disorder: A prominent and persistent disturbance in mood
that is judged to be a direct physiological consequence of a drug of abuse, a
medication, another somatic treatment for depression, or toxin exposure.
Mood Disorder Not Otherwise Specified: Mood symptoms that do not meet the
criteria for any specific Mood Disorder and are hard to choose between Depressive
Disorder Not Otherwise Specified and Bipolar Disorder Not Otherwise Specified
(American Psychiatric Association 2000).
The International Classification for Diseases (ICD-10) gives similar definitions for the
different types of mood disorders. It also takes into account the severity of the
disorder and gives definitions for them. The divisions are mild, moderate, severe and
severe with psychotic symptoms (World Health Organisation 2007).