We are confronted with it much more often these days: mental disorders. According to the NEMESIS population study of the Netherlands, 1,896,700 adults (18%) had a mental illness in the year 2010. A mental illness includes various disorders, such as a mood disorder, anxiety disorder, alcohol or drug abuse, etc. The research also showed that 43% of the Dutch people surveyed have ever had a mental illness. I would like to take a closer look at mood disorders.

What is a mood disorder?

A mood disorder is defined as serious disturbances in mood that lead to excessive depression or elation. They are often accompanied by physical complaints. An example of a mood disorder is a depressive disorder. During a depressive episode, one experiences excessive gloom and depression. A depressive episode progresses into a depressive disorder when it begins to interfere with normal functioning.According to the DSM-IV, one has a depressive disorder when one has 5 or more of the following symptoms within a period of 2 weeks, during which normal functioning is impaired. the symptoms are :

• Having a depressed mood for most of the day
• Having a marked reduction in interest or pleasure in activities one enjoys
• Clear weight change (increase or decrease)
• Change in sleep pattern (insomnia or sleeping too much)
• Loss of energy
• Feelings of worthlessness, guilt, self-blame
• Difficulty concentrating, indecisiveness
• Recurrent thoughts of death or suicidal thoughts

Of the 5 symptoms, the first or second symptom must be present to truly speak of a depressive disorder. Research has shown that depression is most common among isolating men, unemployed people, divorced mothers, students and seniors. In students, the depression usually goes away, as it is due to the temporary stressful life events of that period. This is very different for seniors. Seniors who have lost a partner or have been alone all their lives can feel lonely and develop depressive symptoms. Suicide is therefore becoming increasingly common among the elderly.

Causes

There is a lot of speculation about the causes of depressive disorders. There are starting points from biological, psychological and social backgrounds. From a biological point of view, the cause of depression may lie in a deficiency of the neurotransmitter serotine or norepinephrine in the brain. There are also several psychological explanations for depression. An example of such a psychological explanation is from Lewinsohn. He says depression is a vicious cycle. For example, it may be that one does not have the right opportunities to achieve something, as a result of which one does not receive reinforcement. This causes people to withdraw, so that they cannot achieve anything and the level of reinforcement decreases even more. And of course it continues like this. A social factor may be depression in response to stressful events. Particular attention is paid to the diathesis-stress model. This refers to a combination of biological, psychological and social factors.

What to do after discovery?

If you have depression, it is important that you visit a psychologist or psychiatrist and talk about your problems. Depression does not go away on its own. Sometimes antidepressants are prescribed, which can sometimes help, but if the cause of the depression is not found and resolved, medication will only provide a temporary solution. If you recognize yourself in these symptoms or recognize family or friends in them, it is important to seek help in time.