Any mental disorder that has a disturbance of mood as the predominant feature. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder, these have been divided into mood episodes, mood disorders, and specifications describing either the most recent mood episode or the course of recurrent episodes. Mood disorders, including dysthymic disorder, are divided into the depressive disorders (unipolar depression), the bipolar disorders, and two disorders based on cause, i.e., due to a general medical condition or substance-induced mood disorder. Depressive disorders are distinguished from the bipolar disorders by the absence of a history of a manic, mixed, or hypomanic episode. Bipolar I disorder and bipolar II disorder involve the presence of or history of manic episodes, mixed episodes, or hypomanic episodes, usually with a history or presence of major depressive episodes.

bipolar I m.d.A mood disorder characterized by the presence of only one manic episode and no past major depressive episodes, and not better accounted for by a psychotic disorder. The classes or specifiers of bipolar I disorder include mild, moderate, severe without psychotic features, severe with psychotic features, in partial remission, in full remission, with catatonic features, and with postpartum onset.

bipolar II m.d.A mood disorder characterized by the occurrence of one or more major depressive episodes accompanied by at least one hypomanic episode. If manic or mixed episode mood disorders are present, the diagnosis of bipolar I cannot be supported. Episodes of substance-induced mood disorder or a mood disorder due to drugs or exposure to toxins preclude the diagnosis of bipolar II mood disorder. In addition, the symptoms must cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. The specifiers “hypomanic” or “depressed” indicate the current or most recent episode.

cyclothymic m.d.A diagnosis of exclusion in which for at least 2 years there have been many periods of hypomanic symptoms and numerous periods with depressive symptoms that do not meet the criteria either for major depressive or for bipolar disorder. During the 2-year period, the person must show the symptoms mentioned for more than 2 months at a time. In addition, no major depressive episode, manic episode, or mixed episode can be present during the first 2 years of the disturbance. The symptoms cannot be accounted for by a psychosis and are not due to drugs or a general medical condition. The symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

disruptive dysregulation m.

ABBR: DMDO

m.d. due to a general medical disorder A prominent and persistent disturbance in mood characterized by either or both of the following: markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities; and elevated, expansive, or irritable mood. The clinical and laboratory findings are consistent with attributing the cause to a direct physiological consequence of the general medical condition. The condition is not better accounted for by another mental disorder. The disturbance does not occur exclusively during the course of a delirium. The symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

dysthymic m.d.Dysthymic disorder.

hypomanic episode m.d.A mood disorder characterized by a period of persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood lasting for at least 4 days. Three or more of the following must be present: 1) inflated self-esteem, 2) decreased need for sleep, 3) talking more than usual, 4) flight of ideas or feeling that thoughts are racing, 5) distractibility, 6) increase in goal-directed activities, and 7) excessive involvement in pleasurable activities with a high potential for painful consequences. The episode is not severe enough to cause marked impairment in social or occupational functioning or to necessitate hospitalization, and there are no psychotic features. These changes are not due to drugs or to a general medical condition.

major depressive episode m.d.Major depression.

manic episode m.d.A distinct period of an abnormally and persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood that lasts at least 1 week. Three additional symptoms from the following list are required to establish the diagnosis: 1) inflated self-esteem or grand iosity, 2) decreased need for sleep, 3) changing pressure of speech (speech that is loud, rapid, or difficult to interrupt; nonstop talking), 4) flight of ideas, 5) distractibility, 6) increased involvement in goal-directed activities or psychomotor agitation, and 7) excessive involvement in pleasurable activities with a high potential for painful consequences. The mood disturbance is sufficiently severe to impair occupational functioning, usual social activities, or relationships with others, or to require hospitalization to prevent harm to self or others; there are psychotic features. These changes are not due to drugs or to a general medical condition.

mixed episode m.d.A mood disorder characterized by a period lasting for at least 1 week in which the diagnosis of manic episode and major depressive episode are met nearly each day.

SEE: major depression; manic episode mood disorder.

postpartum m.d.

SEE: postpartum blues; postpartum depression.

substance-induced m.d.A prominent and persistent disturbance in mood characterized by either or both of the following: depressed mood or markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities; and elevated, expansive, or irritable mood. The clinical and laboratory findings must support that either the symptoms developed during, or within a month of, substance intoxication or withdrawal, or that the medication (i.e., substance) is causally related to the disturbance. The condition cannot be better accounted for by a mood disorder that is not substance induced. The disturbance does not occur exclusively during the course of a delirium. The symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.