Name: Fazilat Afzal

ID: 30797

What is Mode disorder?

A mood disorder is a mental health problem that primarily affects a person’s emotional state.
It is a disorder in which a person experiences long periods of extreme happiness, extreme
sadness, or both.

Mood disorders can cause changes in your behaviour and can affect your ability to deal with
routine activities, such as work or school.

Two of the most common mood disorders are depression and bipolar disorder. 

Depression (major or clinical depression). Depression is a common mental disorder. Grief

or sadness is a typical response to a traumatic life event or crisis, such as the death of a
spouse or family member, loss of a job, or a major illness. However, when the depression
continues to be present even when stressful events are over or there is no apparent cause,
physicians would then classify the depression as clinical or major depression. For a person to
be diagnosed with clinical depression, symptoms must last for at least two weeks.

There are several different types of depression. Symptoms may vary depending on the form
of the disorder.

 Postpartum depression (peripartum depression) - This type of depression occurs

during pregnancy or after delivery
 Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia) - This is a chronic form of depression
that can last for at least two years. Symptoms may occasionally lessen in severity
during this time.
  Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) - This is another type of depression that occurs
during certain seasons of the year. It typically starts in the late autumn or early winter
and lasts until spring or summer. Less commonly, SAD episodes may also begin
during the late spring or summer.
 Psychotic depression - This is a type of severe depression combined with psychotic
episodes, such as hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that others do not) or
delusions (having fixed but false beliefs). The episodes may be upsetting or disturbing
and often have a theme.
 Depression related to a medical condition, medication, or substance abuse

Bipolar disorder (manic-depressive disorder). Bipolar disorder is defined by swings in

mood from periods of depression to mania. When someone experiences a low mood,
symptoms may resemble those of a clinical depression. Depressive episodes alternate with
manic episodes or mania. During a manic episode, a person may feel elated or can also feel
irritable or have increased levels of activity.

There are three basic types of bipolar disorder.

 Bipolar I - This is the most severe form. Manic episodes last at least seven days or
may be severe enough to require hospitalization. Depressive episodes will also occur,
often lasting for at least two weeks. Sometimes symptoms of both mania and
depression are present at the same time.
 Bipolar II disorder - This disorder causes cycles of depression similar to those of
bipolar I. A person with this illness also experiences hypomania, which is a less
severe form of mania. Hypomanic periods are not as intense or disruptive as manic
episodes. Someone with bipolar II disorder is usually able to handle daily
responsibilities and does not require hospitalization.

What causes mood disorders?

 Family history
 Previous diagnosis of a mood disorder
 Trauma, stress or major life changes in the case of depression
 Physical illness or use of certain medications. Depression has been linked to major
diseases such as cancer, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease and heart disease.
 Brain structure and function in the case of bipolar disorder

Symptoms of mood disorder:

Symptoms depend on the type of mood disorder that is present.

Symptoms of major depression may include:

 Lack of energy or feeling sluggish

 Feeling worthless or hopeless
 Loss of appetite or overeating
 Gaining weight or losing weight
 Loss of interest in activities
 Sleeping too much or not enough
 Frequent thoughts about death or suicide
  Difficulty concentrating or focusing

How are mood disorders treated?

Treatment will depend on the specific illness and symptoms that are present.

 Antidepressants - Many different medications are available to treat depression and

depressive episodes of bipolar disorder. Some of the most widely used drugs are
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). (Wellbutrin®) is used to treat
depression and seasonal affective disorder. Usually an antidepressant must be taken as
prescribed for 4 to 6 weeks before it begins to work.
 Mood stabilizers - These medications help to regulate the mood swings that occur
with bipolar disorder or other disorders. They reduce abnormal brain activity.

Antipsychotics - Patients with bipolar disorder who experience mania or mixed episodes
may be treated with an atypical antipsychotic drug, such as aripiprazole.

 Psychotherapy (talk therapy)

Patients with depression and other mood disorders may benefit from various types
of psychotherapy or counselling sessions. Types of therapy include:

 Cognitive-behavioural therapy
 Interpersonal therapy
 Problem-solving therapy

Multiple Sclerosis (MS):

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord (central
nervous system).

In MS, the immune system attacks the protective sheath (myelin) that covers nerve fibers and
causes communication problems between your brain and the rest of your body.

MS is the most common acquired chronic neurological disease affecting young adults, often
diagnosed between the ages of 20 to 40 and, in Australia, affects three times more women
than men.
. 
Symptoms of multiple sclerosis
The main symptoms include:
 Fatigue
 Difficulty walking
 Vision problems, such as blurred vision
 Problems controlling the bladder
 Numbness or tingling in different parts of the body
 Muscle stiffness and spasms
 Problems with balance and co-ordination
 Problems with thinking, learning and planning
Depending on the type of MS you have, your symptoms may come and go in phases or get
steadily worse over time (progress).
What causes multiple sclerosis?
The cause of multiple sclerosis is unknown. It's considered an autoimmune disease in
which the body's immune system attacks its own tissues. In the case of MS , this immune
system malfunction destroys the fatty substance that coats and protects nerve fibers in the
brain and spinal cord (myelin).

Treatments for multiple Sclerosis

There’s currently no cure for MS, but number of treatments can help control the condition
and case symptoms.

It may include:

 Treating relapse with short courses of steroid medicine to speed up recovery

 Specific treatments for individual SM symptoms
 Teatment to reduce the number of relapses using medicines called disease-modifying
therapies.

Disease-modifying therapies may also help to slow or deduce the overall worsening of
disability in people with a type of MS called called relapsing remitting MS, and in some
people with types called primary and secondary progressive MS, who have relapses

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is also called Lou Gehrig’s disease. It’s a neuromuscular
disorder that causes muscle weakness. 

What causes ALS?

Researchers do not know what causes ALS. They believe it’s a combination of factors:
  Genetics: Mutations, or changes, in certain genes may lead to motor neuron
breakdown.
 Environment: Getting exposed to certain toxic substances, viruses or physical trauma
may cause ALS.

What are the symptoms of ALS?

At first, you may notice muscle weakness or stiffness:

 Limb onset ALS is when the symptoms start in your legs or arms. For example, you
may have hand weakness. Buttoning a shirt or writing might be difficult. Or you may
notice leg symptoms. You may have trouble walking or frequently trip.
 Bulbar onset is when the symptoms start with your speech or swallowing.

No matter where the symptoms begin, they soon spread to other parts of your body. As ALS
progresses, symptoms include:

 Muscle cramps and twitching, especially in the hands and feet.

 Difficulty using your arms and legs.
 Thick speech and difficulty projecting your voice.
 Weakness and fatigue.
 Weight loss.

When ALS gets more severe, symptoms can include:

 Shortness of breath.
 Difficulty breathing, chewing and swallowing.
 Inability to stand or walk independently.
 Weight loss, since people with ALS burn calories at a faster rate.
 Depression and anxiety, as people become aware of what’s happening to them.

How is ALS treated?

There is no cure for ALS. But treatment can slow the progression of the disease. The right
treatment plan can help you stay comfortable and independent for as long as possible.

Treatments include:

 Medications to relieve muscle cramps, extra saliva and other symptoms.

 Physical therapy to help you stay mobile. It can ease discomfort from stiff muscles,
cramps and fluid retention.
 Nutritional counselling ensures you eat a healthy, balanced diet. A nutritionist can
also recommend other food options when swallowing becomes difficult.
 Speech therapy provides strategies for safer swallowing and communication training
help you maintain verbal communication for as long as possible. You may also learn
nonverbal communication techniques.
 Assistive devices, including splints, braces, grab bars and reach devices, help you stay
independent. You use these devices to get dressed, eat, use the toilet and bathe.
 Special equipment such as wheelchairs and electric beds to help you function
independently.