Affective disorders are mental conditions characterized by severe mood changes, including mania and depression. Bipolar disorder is a common type, causing major mood swings between elation and depression. Seasonal affective disorder is related to changes in weather, while schizoaffective disorder occurs in people with schizophrenia. Treatment includes mood-stabilizing drugs and therapy.
An affective disorder, also known as a mood disorder, is any mental condition whose primary symptom is a severe, uncontrollable change in mood. There are a variety of affective disorders and they are typically classified by the prevalence of the two main ends of the mood spectrum: mania and depression. Mania is a state of increased energy with feelings of euphoria and impulsiveness, while depression is a lack of energy with feelings of sadness or hopelessness. Affective disorders can be primarily mania or depression, or a sharp change between the two.
One of the most common types of affective disorder is manic-depressive illness, more commonly called bipolar disorder. The disorder causes a major mood swing, with manic episodes, making someone feel elated and invincible. Manic episodes can be dangerous because they can make a person more likely to engage in risky behavior, such as unsafe sexual promiscuity or reckless driving. After the manic episode has passed, the person typically goes through a depressive episode, in which they feel worthless, ashamed, or even suicidal. The length of the episodes and the time between shifts depend on the person, but they usually last about two weeks.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a temporary affective disorder directly related to changes in the weather. A person with SAD typically becomes unexplainably fatigued or restless as the weather gets colder or darker, such as during the transition to fall or winter. Rare cases can occur when a person experiences symptoms as the weather gets lighter or warmer rather than darker. SAD usually goes away without treatment once time returns to the person’s preferred state.
Affective disorders can occur at the same time as other mental disorders. Schizoaffective disorder is an affective disorder that occurs in people with schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that causes delusions, paranoia and hallucinations. If a person has schizoaffective disorder, they will also go through periods of mania, depression, or a combination of both. To be classified as someone with schizoaffective disorder, a schizophrenic must maintain their schizophrenic symptoms while also experiencing regular intervals of mood swings.
While affective disorders usually can’t be cured, they can often be treated to keep symptoms from interfering with a person’s daily life. Mood-stabilizing drugs, such as lithium, valproate, or carbamazepine, are often prescribed to prevent chemical imbalances in the brain that contribute to mood swings. Therapy can also be implemented to help people with the disorders find out what factors, such as stress or substance use, trigger their episodes and how to deal with them safely and effectively.
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