Mood/Affective Disorder
Mood or affective disorders are mental disorders that primarily affect mood and interfere with the activities of daily living.
They include, but are not limited to, the following:
Anxiety Disorder
Anxiety disorders, like panic disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, are more common than most people realize. Over
19 million adults in America suffer from these chronic conditions, which can seriously interfere with work and personal relationships.
Unlike the relatively mild, brief anxiety caused by a stressful event (such as speaking in public or a first date), anxiety
disorders last at least six months and can get worse if they are not treated.
Bipolar Disorder
Also known as manic-depressive illness, bipolar disorder affects the brain and causes unusual shifts in a person's mood, energy
and ability to function. About 5.7 million American adults experience a bipolar disorder annually. It typically develops in
late adolescence or early adulthood and is often not recognized as an illness. People may suffer for years before it is properly
diagnosed and treated. Like diabetes or heart disease, bipolar disorder is a long-term illness that must be carefully managed
throughout a person's life.
Depression
Depression affects over one in five adults over the course of their lifetime, making it the most common mental health problem
in the United States. Episodes of depression can be brought on by biological imbalances in the brain or various life stressors,
such as divorce. Most importantly, though, depression should not be thought of as a character flaw. Will power cannot stop
it and "pulling yourself up by the bootstraps" is no more effective in relieving depression than in treating diabetes. The
most important step in the battle against depression is asking for help.
