chapter 7: mood disorders and suicide

mood disorders

group of disorders involving severe and enduring disturbances in emotionality ranging from elation to severe depression

major depressive episode

most common and severe experience of depression, including feelings of worthlessness, disturbances in bodily activities such as sleep, loss of interest, and inability to experience pleasure, persisting at least 2 weeks

mania

period of abnormally excessive elation or euphoria, associated with some mood disorders

hypomanic episode

less severe and less disruptive version of a manic episode that is one of the criteria for several mood disorders

mixed features

condition in which the individual experiences both elation and depression or anxiety at the same time (aka dysphoric manic episode or mixed manic episode)

major depressive disorder

a mood disorder involving one (single episode) or more (separated by at least 2 months without depression, recurrent) major depressive episodes

recurrent

repeatedly occurring

persistent depressive disorder

a mood disorder involving persistently depressed mood, with low self-esteem, withdrawal, pessimism, or despair, present for at least 2 years, with no absence of symptoms for more than 2 months

double depression

severe mood disorder typified by major depressive episodes superimposed over a background of persistent dysthymic mood

hallucinations

the psychotic symptoms of perceptual disturbance in which things are seen, heard, or otherwise sensed although they are not actually present

delusions

a psychotic symptom involving disorder of thought content and presence of strong beliefs that are misrepresentations of reality

catalepsy

motor movement disturbance seen in people with some psychoses and mood disorders in which body postures are waxy and can be “sculpted” to remain fixed for long periods

seasonal affective disorder (SAD)

a mood disorder involving a cycling of episodes corresponding to the seasons of the year, typically with depression occurring during the winter

acute grief

grief occurring in the initial period after loss; includes feelings of longing, yearning, and sadness as well as anxiety, anger, or guilt; characterized by intense preoccupation with thoughts about the person who died and difficulty concentrating on other matters

integrated grief

grief that evolves from acute grief into a condition in which the individual accepts the finality of a death and adjusts to the loss

premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)

clinically significant emotional problems that can occur during the premenstrual phase of the reproductive cycle of a woman

disruptive mood dysregulation disorder

condition in which a child has chronic negative moods such as anger and irritability without any accompanying mania

bipolar II disorder

alternation of major depressive episodes with hypomanic episodes (not full manic episodes)

bipolar I disorder

alternation of major depressive episodes with full manic episodes

cyclothymic disorder

chronic (at least 2 years) mood disorder characterized by alternating mood elevation and depression levels that are not as severe as manic or major depressive episodes

neurohormones

the hormones that affect the brain and are increasingly the focus of study in psychopathology

learned helplessness theory of depression

the theory according to which depression is the result of perceived or real absence of control over the outcome of an undesirable situation

depressive cognitive triad

thinking errors in depressed people negatively focused in three areas: themselves, their immediate world, and their future

electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

biological treatment for severe, chronic depression involving the application of electrical impulses through the brain to produce seizures; the reasons for its effectiveness are unknown

cognitive therapy

treatment approach that involves identifying and altering negative thinking styles related to psychological disorders such as depression and anxiety and replacing them with more positive beliefs and attitudes and, ultimately, more adaptive behavior and coping styles

interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT)

brief treatment approach that emphasizes resolution of interpersonal problems and stressors, such as role disputes, in marital conflict or forming relationships in marriage or a new job; it has demonstrated effectiveness for such problems as depression

maintenance treatment

combination of continued psychological treatment, medication, or both designed to prevent relapse following therapy

psychological autopsy

postmortem psychological profile of a suicide victim constructed from interviews with people who knew the person before death