Moods & Irritability in Women

Simply put, a mood disorder is a frequent or repeated disturbance of your normal mood. Difficult situations in life bring stress, frustration and disappointment. These are but normal reactions to the hardship that you may face in life. However, if these feelings last more than a few weeks or months wherein it spoils your quality of life, it could be a sign of a mood disorder. You may feel sad all the time. Or you may find it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. You may experience various symptoms of illness that may not really have an identifiable physical source.
Types of mood disorders There are two types of mood disorders:
Unipolar disorder: Also known as clinical depression, this type of mood disorder is very common and can affect your quality of life. It can affect people of all ages. Women are more prone to depression than men. On occasions depression can be life threatening and thoughts of suicide or attempted suicide is a major complication of this disorder. It is a serious condition and requires professional treatment. Bipolar disorder: Also known as manic-depression or manic-depressive illness, this type of mood disorder causes major emotional changes and mood swings, from manic highs to depressive lows. The majority of bipolar individuals experience alternating episodes of mania and depression—manic behavior is one extreme of this disorder, and depression is the other.
Causes of mood disorders Although there is no concrete evidence to nail the cause of mood disorders, genetics, imbalance in brains chemicals (neurotransmitters), hormonal imbalances and the environment in which an individual lives can be causative factors of the problem. Symptoms Although each individual may experience symptoms differently, some of the most common symptoms of mood disorders include: Loss of appetite or overeating. Sleeplessness or sleeping excessively. Loss of energy, feeling tired all the time. Loss of interest in things that you once enjoyed. Headache, irritability and hostility. Aggressive behavior.
Complications Mood disorders can lead to serious complications—emotional, financial, physical and sometimes legal. It can affect every area of your life and that of your loved ones. Here are some of the most common complications of mood disorders:
Suicide or attempted suicide. Financial crisis. Poor relationship with people. Poor work performance. Loss of job. Substance abuse—excessive consumption of alcohol and/or drug abuse. Legal problems. Marital problems—separation from spouse or divorce. Social isolation. Are you at risk? You may be at an increased risk of developing a mood disorder if: One or more of your close family members have the problem. Lead a highly stressful life. You drink alcohol in excess or abuse illegal drugs. You suffer from factors like loss of a job, death of a loved one, heavy financial loss, etc.
Seeking help Mood disorders require medical treatment. Many people suffering from the problem live with the false belief that mood disorders will go away on its own. But this is far from true. Mood disorders can have a serious negative impact in your life and that of your loved ones. If you have any symptoms of a mood disorder, seek medical help as soon as possible.