Pay Attention to Sudden Mood Changes

Everyone wants to be happy. However, even happiness, when experienced excessively without any apparent reason, may be a sign of mood disorders, according to Anadolu Medical Center Psychiatrist Dr. Cem Hızlan. He explains, "Mood disorders are treatable. When properly treated, they usually don't leave a lasting impact on a person's daily life. However, it should be remembered that there needs to be a process before diagnosing someone with mania, depression, or a mood disorder."

Mood Disorder Symptoms
Experiencing extreme feelings, such as feeling unusually energetic, healthy, and happy, or feeling more depressed than ever without any cause, are symptoms of mood disorders. Dr. Cem Hızlan, a Psychiatry Specialist, states that, as the name suggests, mood disorders are illnesses that primarily affect the emotional domain. He further explains, "The prevalence of mood disorders in the community is less dependent on socioeconomic conditions compared to anxiety disorders. Therefore, mood disorders are less noticeable and somewhat more in the background compared to anxiety-related disorders. However, growing interest in psychiatry and psychology, along with the increasing focus on the unique characteristics of mood disorders in literature and visual arts, has fueled curiosity and the desire to learn more about this issue."

There Must Be a Process to Diagnose Mania or Depression

Anadolu Medical Center Psychiatrist Dr. Cem Hızlan explains that emotions can be seen as a measure of how appropriate and positive the relationship between the individual and the environment is. He states, "The more positive the environment is for us, the more comfortable, open, and alive we feel. An environment where there is no danger, and where we are with loved ones, naturally makes us feel more energetic, strong, and open to the surroundings. In contrast, we would expect to feel defensive, withdrawn, uneasy, and unhappy in a negative environment, which is normal. If you constantly feel pessimistic, sad, and helpless, but there is no real cause for this in your ongoing life, it would be more accurate to call this depression. The opposite malfunction can be described as mania. In other words, you constantly feel unnecessarily good, strong, healthy, and happy, but there is no real cause for it in your life. However, it is important to note that there must be a process before diagnosing someone with mania or depression. Daily emotional fluctuations and emotional changes throughout the day or in longer periods, such as monthly or seasonal changes, should not be classified as mania or depression."

Not Every Emotional High or Low is a Problem

Dr. Cem Hızlan emphasizes that emotional fluctuations are normal, and conditions can change constantly. He says, "Our emotions are constantly fluctuating, depending on the circumstances. When we think about daily, monthly, or even seasonal periods, we can easily notice this variability. It is healthy for our emotions to change according to the conditions and our inner state. Feeling bad when bad things happen is not depression, just as feeling happy and excited when good things happen is not mania."

Mood Disorders Can Be Confused with Anxiety Disorders

Anadolu Medical Center Psychiatrist Dr. Cem Hızlan explains that depressive episodes can easily be mistaken for other disorders with very similar symptoms. He states, "Especially depressive temperament adjustment disorders arising as a reaction to severe life events, and mixed-type anxiety and depression disorders, which are included under mood disorders, are often confused with depression. These disorders require careful differential diagnosis. Both of these disorders fall under anxiety disorders, and their connection to daily life events and their ability to be triggered by psychosocial stress factors are prominent." Dr. Hızlan adds that mood disorders clinically appear in several forms and provided information on subtypes of depression, including bipolar disorder, major depression, recurrent depressive disorder, and cyclothymic mood disorder, as well as persistent mood disorders:

Bipolar Disorder, Severe Depression Episode (Major Depression):
This is a condition where depressive and manic episodes occur at different times. Bipolar mood disorder refers to the recurring manic and depressive episodes that sometimes occur consecutively or at intervals lasting for years during the course of life. It can appear at any age. It is generally accepted that it is not solely a disorder that presents with recurring manic episodes; depression episodes, even if mild, are considered to be part of the disorder.

Recurrent Depressive Disorder:
This is a condition where depressive episodes occur repeatedly. In these disorders, episodes must last for a certain period; rapid emotional changes on a daily or weekly basis should not be considered depressive episodes. Short-term, sudden emotional changes are more likely a symptom of anxiety disorders. As the name suggests, depression and recurrent depressive disorder are processes that continue with depressive episodes, without any manic periods.

Cyclothymic Mood Disorder and Dysthymia:
These can be thought of as disorders that are widespread in daily life, long-lasting, and almost constantly affecting the person. Dysthymia, considered a persistent mood disorder, is a disorder characterized by a mild depression state with clinical symptoms that are subtle but always felt to be present over an extended period. Cyclothymic mood disorder, on the other hand, can be seen as a condition where mood changes occur in weekly or bi-weekly cycles. While mood changes are felt, the clinical symptoms remain subtle and of low intensity.