Name: Kyra Zian C. Peralta Subject Teacher: Dr. Leo G.

Labrador
Section: BS Psychology 3A Subject: Abnormal Psychology (PSYCH66)
Date Submitted: April 08, 2022 Schedule: MWF (02:00 PM – 03:00 PM)

CHAPTER 7
MOOD DISORDERS AND SUICIDE

Mood disorders is a psychological disorders characterized by usually severe or prolonged

disturbances of mood. There are major forms of mood disorder the depressive disorders and the bipolar
disorders. The Major Depressive Disorders is a severe mood disorder characterized by major depressive
episodes in the absence of mania or hypomania. It has a common features of depression and these
includes changes in emotional state, motivation and etc. While the Persistent Depressive Disorder is a
chronic depression lasting for at least two years. The chronic major depressive disorder or a chronic but
milder form of depression is called dysthymia.
Bipolar disorder is characterized by mood swings between states of extreme elation and
depression. It has two types the Bipolar I disorder that applies to people who have had at least one full
manic episode at some point in their lives and the Bipolar II disorder that applies to people who have had
hypomanic episodes and at least one major depressive episode.
Manic episode is a period of unrealistically heightened euphoria, extreme restlessness, and
excessive activity characterized by disorganized behavior, rapid speech and flight of ideas and etc. while
there are also episodes that are less severe than manic episodes and are not accompanied by the social or
occupational problems associated with full-blown mania and this called as hypomanic episode. This is
usually begins in late adolescence or early adulthood, it is a cyclothymic disorder which it is a type of
cyclical pattern of mild mood swings that last at least two years.
Stress and depression is usually linked to a stressful life events that increase vulnerability for
major depression and bipolar disorder. The classic psychodynamic theory holds that depression represents
anger directed inward, the bipolar disorder represents shifting dominance of the individual’s personality
between the ego and superego.
The Biochemical Factors explain mood disorders that regulates the number of receptors on
receiving neurons where neurotransmitters dock and the brain abnormalities explain mood disorders by
reducing the volume and lower metabolic activity in the areas of the brain involved in regulating thinking
processes, mood, and memory.
In psychodynamic treatment, the traditional psychoanalysis helps depressed people understand
underlying conflicting feelings and turn anger outward instead of inward. There are also antidepressant
drugs that increase the availability of key neurotransmitters in the brain. The lithium and other mood
stabilizers helps reduce mania, stabilize moods, and reduce risk of relapse in bipolar patients and the
bipolar disorder is most commonly treated with mood stabilizing drugs.
Suicide is a death caused by injuring oneself with the intent to die and it is a second leading cause
of death among young people aged 15–24. There are many risk factors in suicide and this includes among
middle-aged and older adults, especially males and also women more often attempt suicide but more men
succeed.
The theoretical perspectives on suicide includes (1) Psychodynamic it is an Inward-directed anger
that turns murderous. (2) Sociocultural it is alienation and social isolation. (3) Learning, the lack of
problem-solving skills for handling significant life stress. (4) Social-cognitive, it is a personal
expectancies or modeling (social contagion). And (5) Biological, It is a genetic factors and
neurotransmitter imbalances involving mood-regulating chemical serotonin.
In predicting suicide, people who commit suicide tend to signal their intentions, often quite
explicitly, such as by telling others about their suicidal thoughts. And in understanding suicidal behavior,
three indices are important the (1) suicidal ideation (serious thoughts about committing suicide), (2)
suicidal plans (a detailed method for killing oneself), and (3) suicidal attempts (that are not successful).
Important, too, in learning about risk factors for suicides is the psychological autopsy, in which the
psychological profile of an individual who has committed suicide is reconstructed and examined for
clues.