2. • Mood disorders are characterized by a serious change in mood that cause
disruption to life activities. Though many different subtypes are recognized, three
major states of mood disorders exist: depressive, manic, and bipolar. Major
depressive disorder is characterized by overall depressed mood. Elevated moods
are characterized by mania or hypomania.
3. • Mania – Bipolar disorder type 1
• Hypomania – Bipolar disorder type II
4. • More men than women have substance use disorder, most often alcohol
abuse.2 The same applies to men with bipolar disorder, who are more likely to
have substance use disorder.2 Of the patients with bipolar disorder, those with
mania are 14 times more likely to have a drug abuse disorder and 6 times more
likely to have alcoholism.1 People with substance use disorder have higher rates
of mania and hypomania (3.7%-13.4%) than the general population.1
5. • For patients with a lifetime substance use disorder, the mean age of onset of
bipolar disorder was 20.7 years vs 24.0 years for those without substance use
disorder.2 Patients who had bipolar disorder and comorbid substance use
disorder had an earlier age of onset for both disorders and tended to have more
hospitalizations than nonusing patients.2 Researchers theorize that early onset of
substance use disorder may be both a cause and a consequence of being
predisposed to bipolar disorder.2
6. • Cause and Effect of Mood Disorders
• Biology/genetics
• Trauma
• Substance abuse
7. MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER
• A loss of interest in activities that normally are pleasurable, including sex
Appetite and weight changes (either loss or gain) Sleep disturbances (insomnia,
early morning wakening, or oversleeping) Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or
helplessness Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism Difficulty in concentrating,
remembering, or making decisions Thoughts of death or suicide; suicide
attempts Persistent body aches and pains or digestive disorders not caused by
physical disease
8. • Depression is one of the most frequently occurring mental illnesses. In any 6-
month period, nearly 6% of adults in the United States have 3 depression. Unlike
other depressive illnesses (such as bipolar disorder) that affect men and women
equally, major depressive disorder occurs about twice as often in women as in
men. Depression affects people of all ages, but the illness most commonly first
appears during a person’s late twenties. High rates of depression are seen in very
elderly people.
9. • Major depressive disorder is not caused by any single factor. Researchers now
believe that it is a result of genetic, biological, and psychological influences
combined with life stresses. Disturbances in brain biochemistry (the chemicals in
the brain and how they work) are an important factor in depression. Irregularities
in specific brain chemicals, called neurotransmitters, occur in depression as well
as in other mental illnesses. Scientists are now examining which of these
irregularities may cause depression and which are a result of the illness.
10. • Difficult life events, such as problem relationships, money difficulties, or the loss
of a loved one, appear to contribute to depression. Sometimes depression is
associated with a general medical illness. Drinking too much alcohol or using
drugs can also lead to depression. Certain personality characteristics—such as
pessimistic thinking, low self-esteem, and a sense of having little control over life
events—have been linked to a vulnerability to depression. However, major
depressive disorder is not caused by personal weakness or a lack of willpower.
12. • Substance abuse is common among people who are battling a depressive
disorder. Because alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, the use of this
drug tends to trigger depression symptoms like lethargy, sadness and
hopelessness. However, many depressed individuals reach for drugs or alcohol as
a way to lift their spirits or to numb painful thoughts. As a result, depression and
substance abuse feed into each other, and one condition will often make the
other worse.
13.
14. • For some individuals who have depression and a substance use disorder, giving
up drugs or alcohol can actually make depression worse. If you’ve been using
alcohol for years to bury your depressive symptoms, you may find that your
depression rises to the surface in sobriety. That’s why it’s so important to receive
integrated treatment for both depression and substance abuse at the same time.
