Comparing Mood Disorders A Successful Total Failure and Roller Coaster

Comparing Mood Disorders: A Successful Total Failure and Roller Coaster

Margaret disorder is major depressive disorder and bipolar I is the disorder that Ernest has. The similarities between the two disorders in the case studies consist of: For a psychiatrist, the difference between major depression and bipolar disorder is a serious that could lead to very different types of treatment (Butcher, Hooley, Mineka, 2014).

Major depression is described largely by sad moods and decreased pleasures or enjoying previous pleasures or activities, as well as an array of other symptoms, which include problems sleeping, decreasing appetite, loss of energy, and suicidal ideations (Butcher, Hooley, & Mineka, 2014). Whereas, a bipolar disorder is a person is experiencing hypomanic or manic episodes. Hypomanic episodes may include elevated moods, grandiose thoughts, precipitous speech and decreased need for sleep, which can last for 3 days, at least (Butcher, Hooley, Mineka, 2014).

Depression can be a diagnosis by itself or this diagnosis could be part of another such as bipolar. According to the DSM-5, a single manic episode is enough to make a diagnosis of bipolar disorder (APA, 2013). What may make it difficult to diagnose between the two is the impact of treatment choices, for instance, depression is mainly treated with anti-depressants and bipolar is treated with mood-stabilizing medications (lithium) (Butcher, Hooley, & Mineka, 2014).

Reference(s):

American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. (5th Ed.). Arlington, VA: Author.

Butcher, J.N.; Hooley, J.M., & Mineka; S. (2013). Abnormal psychology. (16th Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

mental health professionals are examining if there are other present symptom or if there are past occurrence. The difficulty is Distinguishing between these two illnesses makes a big impact on treatment choice; while depression is treated primarily with anti-depressant medication, someone with bipolar disorder needs a mood-stabilizing medication such as lithium or valproate. Taking anti-depressants with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder is a tricky business, because the medication can sometimes trigger a manic episode.Therefore a mental health professional is going to examine whether there are other symptoms present (or have occurred in the past), to see if the depression is just depression, or whether it’s a part of a larger disorder.

Bipolar I disorder is the more severe form of bipolar disorder, in which all of the symptoms of hypomania are present only in a more severe form and for at least a week. And in addition, the individual may act in ways that are inconsistent with baseline personality, such as spending a lot of money, traveling without making appropriate plans, or acting on sexual impulses that he or she would ordinarily not act upon.