Are you or a loved one struggling with bi-polar or depression syndromes?
Bi-Polar Disorder
This is a disorder of effect, characterized by the occurrence of alternating manic, hypomanic, or mixed episodes, alternating with major depressive episodes. The DSM-5 specifies the commonly observed patterns found in Bipolar I, Bipolar II, and cyclothymia and lists them as distinctly unique diagnostic patterns.
Depression
This is a mental state characterized by a constellation of symptoms including:
- Feelings of sadness
- Loneliness
- Despair
- Low self-esteem
- Self-reproach
- Psychomotor retardation (or less frequently, agitation)
- Withdrawal from social contacts
- Vegetative states such as loss of appetite and insomnia
- Irritability
- Loss of pleasure
- Fatigue
- Sleep changes
- Tearfulness
- Thoughts of death or suicidal ideation
- Lack of concentration
Major Depression
This is a long term phase of depression that is characterized by a depressed mood lasting at least 2 weeks with specified criteria in the DSM including:
- Depression of mood
- Anhedonia (is an inability to experience pleasure from normally pleasurable life events such as eating, exercise, social interaction or sexual activities)
- Sleep and appetite disturbances
- Feelings of worthlessness
- Feeling guilty
- Hopelessness
Diagnostic criteria for Major Depressive Disorder include:
- Depressed mood
- Marked reduction of interest or pleasure in virtually all activities, or both, lasting for at least 2 weeks.
In addition, 3 or more of the following must be present:
- Unexplained weight loss or weight gain
- Increase or decrease in sleep
- increased or decreased level of psychomotor activity
- Fatigue
- Feelings of guilt
- Feeling worthless
- Diminished ability to concentrate
- Recurring thoughts of death or suicide (this includes a plan to commit suicide)