This positive shift was completely needed. For years many experts in the mental health field have been saying that mental health should be spoken about in the same way that our physical health issues are – that is with no shame or guilt...
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Mood disorders are a category of mental health illnesses where someone’s continual emotional state is considerably disturbed. It includes every kind of depressive and bipolar disorder.
More than 20 percent of adults in America will experience a mood disorder at some time in their lives. Nearly ten percent of adults in the US had a mood disorder in the past year.
Symptoms of a mood disorder can range from a very low mood (depressed) to a very high or irritable one (manic).
A variety of factors contribute to mood disorders. They often seem to run in families.
Stressful life events such as trauma, bereavement, a relationship break-up, job loss and financial problems frequently look to trigger them. Presently, the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic is also a major trigger.
It was pioneering psychiatrist Henry Maudsley (1835–1918) who first suggested an overall category that was named “affective disorder”. Over the years the term has been replaced by mood disorder, but it is sometimes still called affective disorder or mood affective disorder.
Not knowing the symptoms of a mood disorder can mean people go untreated for longer than they should. There are several types of mood disorders, but they share some similar signs.
These signs will be more intense and persist for longer than just a normal mood change. Mood disorder symptoms can include:
These symptoms are usually continual and will negatively impact on daily life. For instance, they can lead to not being able to work as usual or making excuses not to attend social events.
There are several common types of mood disorders:
Also referred to as major depression or clinical depression, MDD involves periods of extreme sadness, hopelessness, less interest in usual activities and lack of focus and energy for at least a fortnight.
Also still known as dysthymia, this is a persistent mild depressed or irritable mood. PDD symptoms usually come and go over a period of years. Their intensity can alter over time. But most often PDD symptoms do not go away for more than two months at a time.
Symptoms include mood swings, depressed mood, hopelessness, fatigue, irritability, palpitations, anger and anxiety in the week (sometimes two weeks) before the start of menstruation.
Also known as “winter depression”, SAD is a mood disorder when people with normal mental health throughout most of the year develop depressive symptoms at a similar time every year, most commonly in winter.
This mood disorder is a condition in which someone has periods of depression alternating with periods of mania or elevated mood. Formerly called manic depression, mania is euphoric and/or irritable moods combined with increased energy and activity. During manic episodes, people can display overconfidence and feel like they need little sleep. They are also more likely to indulge in risky behavior – such as drinking excessively, having casual sex or spending money without care.
Also known as cyclothymia, this is a less intense but often longer-lasting type of bipolar disorder. A person with cyclothymic disorder has the high and low moods of bipolar – but they are not as severe. These symptoms normally need to have persisted for two years before a diagnosis is given.
This is a form of depression caused by using drugs including some medications and alcohol.
Cancer, chronic illnesses, injuries and some infections can lead to symptoms of depression.
Without professional treatment, a mood disorder is unlikely to go away. More likely is that the negative feelings and negative impacts on life will intensify and last for months or years.
Our expert team has decades of experience in treating all mood disorders. We have proven successful treatments that can help anyone in need, including our 30-90 Day Personalized Treatment Program.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of talk therapy that focuses on becoming aware of and changing negative thoughts and behaviors for more positive ones. CBT has been shown to be very effective in the treatment of mood disorders.
Good sleep is also extremely important while being treated for a mood disorder. Disturbed sleep can be a trigger for depression and bipolar disorder.
We’re in the perfect natural setting for relaxation and wellbeing. Our luxury mansion by our stunning tranquil lake is created with total comfort in mind, including our bedrooms where you will be able to get an excellent night’s sleep.
We would love to welcome you here as a guest. To discover how Tikvah Lake Recovery can help you or someone you care about – contact us today.
Passive-aggressive behavior is something that most people have heard of – and almost everyone will have experienced it as well. Unknowingly many of us will have also displayed some form of this behavior.
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The relationship between Cognitive Dissonance and Addiction is an emerging topic of fascination, particularly for addiction specialists who perhaps are seeking new ways to treat clients (it’s also helpful for those in addiction recovery).
Cognitive Dissonance happens when an individual holds a series of contradictory beliefs, values and ideas – and is overcome by psychological stress when they partake in any action that goes against one or more of those beliefs.
As humans, we tend to strive for whatever makes us feel comfortable. Therefore, we are driven (consciously or not) by consistency.
Cognitive Dissonance theory holds the principle that when two ideas or actions clash (i.e. they are inconsistent with each other) people will do everything in their will to change these ideas until they become compatible.
Broadly, cognition is a strand of knowledge; these include:
Let’s say, for example, a person discovers new information that challenges a deep-rooted belief.
They may even behave in a way that is incongruous to their perception of self, in this case, the individual (to restore Cognitive Dissonance) will often become motivated to change those negative feelings, which ultimately soothes psychological stress.
Cognitive Dissonance theory belongs to the sphere of Social Psychology.
Social psychologists believe Cognitive Dissonance to be a mental conflict that occurs when an individual’s beliefs and behaviours are misaligned.
Leon Fester, psychologist and author of the book; A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance (1957), proposed that people experience psychological unease when their beliefs are conflicting or when their actions and behaviours contradict each other.
Once individuals realize just how conflicting their beliefs are, they work hard to relieve the discomfort in an attempt to resolve Dissonance – this is titled “The Principle of Cognitive Consistency”.
According to mental health experts, mental health is the ability to handle uncertainty – and those with a higher threshold for delay tend to experience less distress and Cognitive Dissonance than those with lower scores.
Cognitive Dissonance can create a series of unpleasant symptoms, such as:
Frequently, individuals experiencing Cognitive Dissonance may try to conceal their feelings or beliefs by covering them up. All this is done by:
When a person ignores information and facts in a bid to retain their beliefs, this often results in stagnation.
For individuals to resolve Cognitive Dissonance, they must be willing to do the work required to shift their beliefs, attitudes and behaviours into alignment with each other.
Seeking professional help for Cognitive Dissonance allows those with mental health conditions such as anger issues, personality disorders and addictions to make positive changes to their lifestyle, allowing them to move forward.
Alcoholics (and other substance abusers) often experience Cognitive Dissonance. Addicts are fully aware of the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse but will find new and creative ways to justify their self-destructive behaviours.
Alcoholics with Cognitive Dissonance will often do what they can to overcome feelings of unease by:
In alcohol recovery, Cognitive Dissonance presents many risks and challenges for both the addiction recovery specialist and patient.
Since addicts with Cognitive Dissonance indulge in patterns of delusional thinking, they often go to great lengths to protect their current understanding.
All this might explain why certain concepts and ideas appear rational to some people and entirely irrational for others (such as an addict’s ability to justify their excessive drinking). This type of thinking makes no sense to the addicts family.
This type of increase in delusional thinking often creates many challenges for those in addiction recovery, and those hoping to avoid relapse.
The key is to notice when the pattern of delusional thinking starts to exacerbate and to challenge the feelings and thoughts to prevent relapse from occurring.
There are plenty of examples of how Cognitive Dissonance shows up in alcohol addiction – they include:
Fortunately, there is a wide range of treatment options available for addicts with Cognitive Dissonance such as therapy and residential treatment programs.
One on one therapy is the most effective form of treatment.
However, the addict must start with a clean slate or “beginner’s mind” for the methods in therapy to be effective. All this involves putting aside any previously held beliefs that may have been limiting or self-destructive in any way.
When people in addiction recovery begin therapy with a beginners mindset, this allows them to adapt to new thinking styles and healthier ways of behaving.
In therapy, Cognitively Dissonant individuals will start to notice a shift in previously held beliefs, and begin to acknowledge how they have justified their addictions in the past.
Therapy is delivered in a supportive, encouraging environment where people get the opportunity to share ideas and stories. This collaboration leads to mutual understanding, paving the way for recovery from alcohol (and any other substance) addiction.
If you would like to address any self-limiting thoughts and beliefs that might be holding you back in your recovery or if you would like help with an addiction – the team at Tikvah Lake Recovery are here to help.
Contact the team today to find out more.
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