Anxiety: Emotion Or Mood Disorder?

Anxiety is a feeling of nervousness, worry, or unease about life's uncertainties. It is a natural human emotion that helps us prepare for or cope with danger and stress. However, when anxiety becomes chronic, it can develop into an anxiety disorder, which is a mental illness. Mood disorders, on the other hand, are mental health conditions that primarily affect a person's emotional state, causing persistent and intense feelings such as sadness, elation, or anger. While anxiety can lead to changes in mood, these shifts are typically byproducts of the anxiety itself and do not constitute a mood disorder. In contrast, for mood disorders, changes in mood are the main feature of the illness.

Anxiety and mood disorders: symptoms and causes

Anxiety is not a mood disorder, but rather a type of emotion that often precedes or coexists with mood disorders. Mood disorders are mental health conditions that primarily affect one's emotional state, causing persistent and intense feelings of sadness, elation, anger, or irritability. They can affect one's ability to perform routine activities and are typically treated with medication and psychotherapy.

Symptoms of Mood Disorders

Mood disorders can manifest in various ways, including depressive symptoms such as persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest in activities. People with depressive disorders may also experience changes in appetite, sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating, and thoughts of death or suicide. On the other hand, hypomanic or manic episodes are characterized by heightened energy, rapid speech, agitation, risk-taking behaviour, and insomnia.

Causes of Mood Disorders

The development of mood disorders is influenced by a combination of biological, genetic, and environmental factors. Biological factors include abnormalities in brain regions responsible for emotions, such as an enlarged amygdala. A family history of mood disorders also increases the likelihood of an individual developing a mood disorder, indicating a genetic predisposition. Additionally, environmental triggers such as stressful life events, chronic stress, trauma, and childhood abuse are significant risk factors, particularly for depression.

Anxiety and mood disorders: treatment options

Anxiety is not a mood disorder, but rather one of many anxiety disorders, including panic disorder and phobias. However, anxiety often precedes or coexists with mood disorders. Mood disorders are treatable, usually with a combination of medication and psychotherapy (talk therapy).

Medication

Medications that healthcare providers may prescribe to help treat mood disorders include:

• Antidepressants: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are some of the most widely used drugs to treat depression and depressive episodes of bipolar disorder.
• Mood stabilizers: These medications help regulate the mood swings that occur with bipolar disorder or other disorders. They reduce abnormal brain activity.
• Antipsychotics (neuroleptics): People with bipolar disorder who experience mania or mixed episodes may be treated with an atypical antipsychotic drug.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy, also called talk therapy, is a term for a variety of treatment techniques that aim to help a person identify and change unhealthy emotions, thoughts and behaviours. Some of the more common types of psychotherapy include:

• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT): This is a structured, goal-oriented type of psychotherapy. Mental health professionals use it to treat or manage mental health conditions and emotional concerns.
• Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT): DBT is a type of talk therapy that’s based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), but it’s specially adapted for people who experience emotions very intensely.
• Psychodynamic therapy: This type of therapy is based on the idea that behaviour and mental well-being are influenced by childhood experiences and problematic repetitive thoughts or feelings that are outside of your awareness.

Other treatments

Other treatments for mood disorders include:

• Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT): ECT is a medical procedure that involves passing a mild electric current through your brain, causing a short seizure. This procedure is proven to have strong positive effects on severe, treatment-resistant mental health conditions, including depression and bipolar disorder.
• Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS): TMS is a treatment for people with severe depression that hasn’t been helped by at least one antidepressant medication. It’s a type of brain stimulation therapy.
• Light therapy: This technique has long been used to treat seasonal affective disorder (SAD). It’s based on the idea of supplementing natural sunlight with bright artificial light during the fall and winter.

Anxiety and mood disorders: diagnosis

Anxiety is classified as an anxiety disorder, not a mood disorder. However, anxiety often precedes or coexists with mood disorders.

A mood disorder is a mental health condition that primarily affects a person's emotional state. Mood disorders can cause persistent and intense feelings of sadness, elation, anger, or irritability. To be diagnosed as a mood disorder, these emotions must be present for several weeks or longer and significantly impair the person's ability to function.

The two most common mood disorders are depression and bipolar disorder. Depression is characterised by feelings of sadness, hopelessness, low self-esteem, loss of interest in activities, and thoughts about death or suicide. Bipolar disorder involves periods of depression alternating with mania or a higher mood.

To diagnose a mood disorder, a healthcare provider will conduct a physical examination to rule out any physiological causes for the symptoms, such as thyroid disease or a vitamin deficiency. They will also take a detailed medical history, including information about any medications the patient is taking and any family history of mood disorders. The patient may then be referred to a mental health professional, such as a psychologist or psychiatrist, for further evaluation.

The mental health professional will conduct an interview or survey, asking about the patient's symptoms, sleeping and eating habits, and other behaviours. They will use the criteria in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders to make a diagnosis. This manual categorises mood disorders as bipolar disorders and depressive disorders.

Bipolar disorders are further categorised into bipolar I, bipolar II, cyclothymic disorder, and other subtypes. Bipolar I disorder is defined as having had at least one manic episode lasting at least one week or requiring hospitalisation. Bipolar II disorder involves periods of depression and hypomania, which is a less severe form of mania.

Depressive disorders include major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder, among others. Major depressive disorder is diagnosed when a person experiences five out of nine symptoms, including a sad mood, insomnia, feelings of guilt, decreased energy levels, and decreased concentration, among others, for a period of at least two weeks.

Treatment for mood disorders typically involves a combination of medication and psychotherapy. Medications such as antidepressants and mood stabilisers are often prescribed, along with psychotherapy approaches like cognitive-behavioural therapy or dialectical behaviour therapy.

Anxiety and mood disorders: impact on daily life

Anxiety and mood disorders are mental health conditions that can significantly impact a person's life. While they share some similarities, they are distinct in terms of their symptoms, causes, and treatment approaches. Here, we will explore the effects of these disorders on daily life and highlight the importance of seeking professional help.

Understanding Anxiety and Mood Disorders

Anxiety is a natural human emotion characterised by feelings of tension, worry, and nervousness. It is often accompanied by physical changes, such as increased blood pressure. When anxiety becomes chronic, it can interfere with daily life, leading to emotional, physical, and psychological distress.

On the other hand, mood disorders primarily affect a person's emotional state, causing persistent and intense emotions such as sadness, elation, or anger. Mood disorders include conditions like depression, bipolar disorder, and seasonal affective disorder. These disorders can affect a person's ability to perform routine activities and lead to significant changes in behaviour.

Impact on Daily Life

The impact of anxiety and mood disorders on daily life can be far-reaching. For people with anxiety disorders, activities like work, school, or socialising can become challenging due to persistent worry, fear, or panic attacks. They may experience physical symptoms such as increased heart rate, chest pain, or abdominal distress, which can be frightening and disruptive.

Those with mood disorders may struggle with prolonged periods of extreme emotions. For example, individuals with depression often face difficulties with thinking, memory, eating, and sleeping. They may lose interest in activities they once enjoyed and have trouble concentrating. Bipolar disorder, on the other hand, involves intense shifts in mood, energy levels, and behaviour, making it challenging to maintain a stable daily routine.

Treatment and Support

Both anxiety and mood disorders are treatable conditions. Treatment options may include medication, psychotherapy, or a combination of both. For example, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly used to treat depression and are known to have fewer side effects. Other approaches, such as cognitive-behavioural therapy, can help individuals manage their symptoms and improve their overall well-being.

However, despite the availability of effective treatments, many people with anxiety and mood disorders do not receive the help they need. Barriers such as the stigma associated with mental illness, lack of access to mental health care, and the high cost of treatment prevent many from seeking professional help.

Anxiety and mood disorders can have a significant impact on a person's daily life, affecting their work, personal relationships, and overall functioning. It is important to recognise the signs and symptoms of these disorders and seek help early on. By understanding the differences between these conditions and providing tailored treatment approaches, individuals can effectively manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life.

Anxiety and mood disorders: prevention and management

Anxiety and mood disorders are highly prevalent and pose a huge burden on patients. They are mental health conditions that primarily affect your emotional state, causing persistent and intense feelings such as sadness, elation and/or anger. They can also cause changes in your behaviour and affect your ability to perform routine activities, such as work or school.

Anxiety disorders are not classified as mood disorders, but they often precede or coexist with them. They are characterised by fear, dread and other symptoms that are out of proportion to the situation. Mood disorders, on the other hand, are characterised by long periods of extreme happiness, sadness or both.

The causes of anxiety and mood disorders are not fully understood, but researchers think a combination of factors plays a role, including chemical imbalances, brain changes, genetics and environmental factors.

There is currently no known way to prevent anxiety and mood disorders, but seeking help as soon as symptoms appear can help decrease the disruption to your life. Treatment is effective and usually includes a combination of medication and psychotherapy (talk therapy).

Prevention

There is currently no known way to prevent anxiety and mood disorders.

Management

• Treatment for anxiety and mood disorders usually involves a combination of medication and psychotherapy (talk therapy).
• Medication can’t cure an anxiety or mood disorder, but it can improve the symptoms and help you function better.
• Psychotherapy teaches you to recognise and identify thought patterns and behaviours that lead to troublesome feelings. You then work on changing your thoughts and reactions to triggering situations.

Frequently asked questions