Mood Disorders

Biological Therapies for Mood Disorders

1. Electroconclusive Therapy

The first common biological therapy for mood disorders discussed in the chapter is the electroconclusive therapy (ECT). This therapy entails the inducement of seizures in patients with the aim of relieving the effects of mood disorders.

Effectiveness. The effectiveness of ECT is seen in the fact that it leads to equal responses in patients with unipolar and bipolar depression. Davison and Neale (2001) agree that patients with unipolar and bipolar depression have always responded differently to various medications and therapies. However, ECT is effective, as it eliminates the need to use such different medications by providing a common recovery for both types of patients. It has a significant effect compared to antidepressants that do not lead to equal outcomes among patients suffering from different levels of mood disorders.

Advantages. It is a safer kind of treatment for patients suffering from mood disorders. Accordingly, ECT is always administered using lower levels of electric currents, which make it safer. More so, it entails the use of muscle relaxants and anesthesia that prevent any form of injuries in patients.

Another significant advantage of ECT is that it leads to the attainment of quicker results for patients. Davison and Neale (2001) confirm that ECT tends to induce instant outcomes, especially in the change of the brain structure and thoughts among patients. It is always common for patients to experience improvement in their health after two or three treatment sessions hence underlining its effectiveness in the alleviation of mood disorders.

Disadvantages. It could lead to severe mental side effects among patients. It tends to cause confusion among patients while explaining its effect on the brain. Such response is commonly witnessed among adults, as most of them exhibit signs of confusion immediately after undergoing ECT treatments. There are also fears of memory loss among individuals.

Davison and Neale (2001) reiterate that electroconclusive therapy has the potential of leading to further medical complications. It bears the risk of other repercussions, especially when anesthesia is used. For instance, it increases the heart rate and blood pressure of individuals. There are also signs of physical side effects including muscle pains and headaches.

2. Applied Behavior Therapy

Effectiveness. Applied behavior therapy (ABT) is always effective in the sense that it focuses on social significance. Accordingly, Davison and Neale (2001) affirm that patients suffering from different mood disorders tend to lack social skills. However, applied behavioral therapy is an effective biological mechanism that gives them opportunity to learn the need to interact with others effectively, and respond to different matters in the required manner. The social significance of the therapy is assistive to the alleviation of the effects of mood disorders among patients.

Advantages. It is always advantageous because it improves social skills among patients. Most patients suffering from schizophrenia and depression tend to have ineffective social skills. However, applied behavioral analysis improves these through activities such as social skills training.

Secondly, it reduces incidences of self-harming among patients. It is always easier for patients suffering from mood disorders to get self-induced injuries. Davison and Neale (2001) are of the view that applied behavioral therapy provides a chance for them to learn the best ways of dealing with anger and frustration, while significantly reducing the chance of self-harming among them.

Thirdly, it improves the ability of patients to appreciate the need for other medications. In some instances, patients experiencing mood disorders are always resistant to other remedies. Applied behavioral therapy teaches them the significance of medications for their well-being. They would be more accommodative to these drugs, and this facilitates their recovery process.

Lastly, it facilitates the easier functioning of patients in unfamiliar conditions. Patients suffering from different mood disorders such as depression are always confused as to the best ways of handling unfamiliar circumstances. Continuous behavior training strengthens them and leads to a more effective way of handling unfamiliar conditions.

Disadvantages. The only notable limitation of the therapy is its effect on the emotions of individuals. Davison and Neale (2001) assert that applied behavior therapy leads to in-depth inquisition into the emotions of individuals leading to undesirable effects such as crying and unnecessary anxieties. This proves to negate the recovery process of patients suffering from mood disorders. Again, the emotional outcomes of the therapy tends to exhaust patients physically.

3. Psychotherapy

Effectiveness. The effectiveness of psychotherapy is understood from the view that it gives patients the opportunity to learn about their moods, thoughts, behaviors, and feelings hence gaining the strength to respond to different matters effectively. Davison and Neale (2001) are of the opinion that the ability of psychotherapy to focus on the mind and all aspects of human life makes it extremely efficient and reliable in the treatment of mood disorders.

Advantages. It provides an opportunity for patients to develop skills focused on the improvement of social relationships. Mood disorders affect patients’ social relationships. However, psychotherapy is helpful in changing the perspectives of individuals hence leading to the creation of better relationships.

Secondly, it is advantageous because it does not bear side effects on a part of patients. Side effects can only be minimal in cases where they occur to patients. It is an impeccable form of therapy without side effects.

Davison and Neale (2001) state that it helps develop positive and avoid negative thinking. It emphasizes the need for positive thinking by changing the minds and different thoughts of patients.

Lastly, it is advantageous because it leads to the excellent management of personal emotions among individuals. Emotions such as anger and anxiety are reduced in the best way possible through psychotherapy.

Disadvantages. It takes longer compared to other forms of treatment such as medications. Every form of treatment is always measured by its ability to lead to instant results. However, there are always delayed outcomes in cases where psychotherapy is used for the treatment of mood disorders.

More so, it is disadvantageous because it does not give therapists the opportunity to respond to actual crisis situations. This occurs when patients are aggressive and unresponsive to the kind of treatment offered through psychotherapy.

Characteristics of Depression

The first significant characteristic of depression is that it leads to feelings of sadness and emptiness among individuals. Davison and Neale (2001) agree that depressed people feel sad most of the time and find no reason to be happy about different events in the society.

The second characteristic is the loss of pleasure from normal activities done by other people. Depression affects the participation of individuals in normal activities such as sex and sports. This particularly happens because they always want to be alone most of the time.

Thirdly, depression is characterized by changes in sleeping patterns among individuals. There could be instances of insomnia or excessive sleeping because of the high level of depression. Individuals take time before catching sleep.

The fourth characteristic is the change in appetite. Depressed people always lack appetite for food. Their eating patterns are usually affected, and they subsequently lose weight. Davison and Neale (2001) insist that the loss of appetite affects the intake of food and the loss of interest associated with different foods among individuals.

Another vital characteristic of depression is increased anxiety, restlessness, and agitation. The anxiety levels of depressed people are always high because of the uncertainty they have about the future. They are always thinking about the next events coming into their lives.

Moreover, it is characterized by tiredness and lack of energy among people. Depression affects the energy levels of individuals. In fact, it impairs their ability to tackle even the smallest tasks. They tend to apply more energy to perform these tasks.

Lastly, depression is characterized by feelings of worthlessness. Davison and Neale (2001) confirm that depressed people feel worthless in most instances, as they blame themselves for their past mistakes. They feel like they are not worthy being alive because of their failures. Therefore, they are always likely to develop suicidal feelings.

Characteristics of Mania

Firstly, mania is always characterized by a continuous elated or irritable mood for a period of seven or more days. Davison and Neale (2001) are of the view that an individual would be recognized as maniac in cases where he/she is exceptionally elated or irritable over seven days. It must be a continuous experience.

Secondly, it is characterized by decreased sleeping time among individuals. Maniac individuals do not need much time to sleep. They are always satisfied by few sleeping hours, which usually do not exceed 3 hours of rest.

The third characteristic of mania is racing thoughts. There is a flight of ideas from time to time among maniac individuals. These thoughts are always focused toward unimportant matters in the lives of these individuals and the society.

Fourthly, mania is characterized by difficulties in work and social relationships. Maniac individuals suffer from the inability to develop effective social and work relationships. Davison and Neale (2001) state that these individuals cannot interact with other people in the best way possible. Their irritability impairs their ability to communicate with other people in the society and at their places of work.

The last significant characteristic of mania is the excessive involvement of individuals in pleasurable activities that might have potential painful consequences. Maniac individuals find pleasure in unimaginable events. For instance, some of them could engage in unrestrained buying sprees that lead to the loss of cash.

Two Major Mood Disorders and Chronic Mood Disorders in DSM-IV

One of the major mood disorders in the DSM-IV is depression. The second major mood disorder described in the DSM-IV is schizophrenia. Davison and Neale (2001) assert that the first significant difference between schizophrenia and depression is that the former is commonly associated with hallucinations that do not usually occur among depressed individuals. Such people do not necessarily have repetitive thoughts of factors that could have occurred in their lives. These disorders also differ in terms of delusion. Schizophrenia leads to delusion among individuals, while depression affects the thinking and concentration of people. They might not be necessarily deluded with the occurrences in their lives. Depression differs from schizophrenia because it affects the sleeping patterns of individuals. Schizophrenia does not necessarily alter the sleeping patterns or lead to lack of sleep among individuals like depression.

In terms of chronic mood disorders, one of the key impairments described in the DSM-IV is the cyclothymic disorder. The second one identified here is the dysthymic disorder. The cyclothymic disorder differs from the dysthymic disorder because the former affects both men and women in equally. Davison and Neale (2001) affirm that it tends to have a 50-50 attack on both men and women. On the other hand, the dysthymic disorder has more effect on women compared to men. The rate of depression in women is three times higher than that among men. Again, the dysthymic disorder differs from cyclothymic disorder because of the predictability of its symptoms. In most cases, the symptoms of the cyclothymic disorder are always difficult to predict because of the irregular trends in which they occur. For instance, there are interchanges of depression and mania for a few weeks in a person’s life.