Facets Of Mental Health

While the world starts to recognise the importance of mental health, much remains to be learned about the different facets of mental health. Mood disorders are a few of the escalating concerns regarding mental health. Mood Disorders represents a category of mental disorders in which the underlying problem affects a person’s persistent emotional state or their mood (NIMH, 2010).

Mood disorders involve severe mood alterations that are persistent for long periods of time. Mood disorders are diverse in nature and involve two key moods – mania or intense and unrealistic feelings of excitement and euphoria; and depression which involves feelings of intense sadness and melancholy. Mood disorders are broken down into two types: Unipolar Depressive

It is characterized by a clinical course of recurring mood episodes consisting of one or more major depressive episodes and at least one hypomanic episode. The major depressive episodes of bipolar II disorder must last at least 2 weeks while the hypomanic episode must last at least 4 days to meet the diagnostic criteria (DSM 5, 2013). Individuals with the Bipolar II disorder typically consult a clinician during a major depressive episode. There are unlikely complaints of hypomania during initial consultations. The hypomanic episodes do not cause the impairment, instead, impairments are results of the major depressive episodes or persistent pattern of unpredictable mood changes (DSM 5, 2013). Bipolar II disorder also is characterized by fluctuating and unreliable interpersonal or occupational functioning which causes relationships to be

Although the illness often starts with a depressive episode but unrecognized until a hypomanic episode occurs. This is prevalent in about 12% of individuals initially diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Comorbidity is predominant with individuals with bipolar II disorder. Anxiety disorders are often associated with bipolar II disorder. The suicide risk with bipolar II disorder remains to be high. It is estimated that one-third of individuals diagnosed with bipolar II disorder report a lifetime history of suicide attempt (DSM 5, 2013). These suicide attempts may be linked to the impulsivity which is a common feature of individuals with bipolar II disorder. Although the suicide rates are relatively the same with bipolar I disorder, the lethality of these attempts are higher in individuals with bipolar II disorder. This may be defined by the lower ratio of attempts to complete