Mood, Depression, and Bipolar Disorders

Depression

Everyone occasionally feels blue or sad. Usually, these feelings pass within a few days. If your blue or sad feelings stay for days or weeks or are impacting your day-to-day functioning, you may be depressed. Depression is a common and serious illness that may get in the way of everyday activities such as working, sleeping, eating, and even just enjoying time with friends.

Signs and Symptoms of Depression

• Feeling hopeless
• Feeling worthless
• Feeling irritable
• Loss of interest in activities you used to enjoy
• Lack of energy
• Problems concentrating, remembering information, or making decisions
• Problems falling asleep, staying asleep, or sleeping too much
• Loss of appetite or eating too much
• Social withdrawal
• Using substances like alcohol and other drugs
• Wishing you were dead, considering suicide, or making a suicide attempt

(Adapted from the National Institute of Mental Health)

There are many ways you can alleviate symptoms of depression: 

• Stay in touch. Don’t withdraw from life. Socializing can improve your mood. Keeping in touch with friends and family make it easier to connect when you’re feeling blue or sad
• Incorporate movement into your day. Research shows that movement can help improve your mood. 
• Avoid substances as a way to cope with your down feelings. 
• Eat food that nourishes you. It might feel hard to motivate yourself to cook a meal or get to a dining hall, but food really helps your body and brain function. 
• Seek professional help. Clinical depression is readily treatable with counseling and/or medication. 

(Adapted from the National Health Service) 

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a mental disorder that causes significant shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, concentration, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks. We all have changes in our mood, but in bipolar disorder these changes can feel very distressing and have a big impact on your life. 

People with bipolar disorder experience:

• Manic episodes (feeling high)
• Depressive episodes (feeling low)

Some people with bipolar also experience psychotic symptoms during manic or depressive episodes. You might have had the first symptoms when you were a child, or you could develop them later in life. At least half of all cases start before the age of 25.

Signs of a manic episode include:

• Uncontrollable excitement
• Racing thoughts
• Feeling invincible
• Talking very fast
• Sleeping very little, often without feeling tired
• Acting rudely or aggressively 
• Feeling unusually confident in yourself and your abilities (for example, feeling as if you have special powers or abilities that you did not have before)
• Behaving impulsively, taking unusual risks, overspending money

Signs of a depressive episode include: 

• Feeling tired all the time
• Avoiding things you usually enjoy
• Withdrawing from people
• Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much
• Difficulty taking care of yourself and your hygiene
• Self-harm or suicidal behaviors

What Helps Manage Bipolar Disorder?

The two main types of treatment for bipolar disorder are medication and counseling. Treatment for bipolar disorder may change depending on whether you’re managing a current mood episode or managing longer-term mental health.