1. Types of Mood disorders
The types of mood disorders can be viewed on a continuum according to severity of the illness. There are two main classification systems for mood disorders based on the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision (ICD-10) (World Health Organization, 1993), and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th edition, known as DSM-5TM (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).
Both ICD-10 and DSM-5TM classify mood disorders on the basis of severity and whether psychotic features are present. Both ICD-10 and DSM-5TM allow the diagnosis of recurrent brief mood disorders, but under slightly different headings. Thus, the following types of mood disorders are based on the DSM-5TM classification.
DSM-5TM
Major Depressive Disorder
Diagnostic Criteria
A. Five (or more) of the following symptoms have been present during the same 2-week period and represent a change from previous functioning; at least one of the symptoms is either (1) depressed mood or (2) loss of interest or pleasure.
1. Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day, as indicated by either subjective report (e.g., feels sad, empty, hopeless) or observation made by others (e.g., appears tearful). Note: In children and adolescents, can be irritable mood.)
2. Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities most of the day, nearly every day.
3. Significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain (e.g., a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month), or decrease or increase in appetite nearly every day. (Note: In children, consider failure to make expected weight gain.)
4. Insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day.
5. Psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day (observable by others, not merely subjective feelings of restlessness or being slowed down).
6. Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day.
7. Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt (which any be delusional) nearly every day.
8. Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness, nearly every day.
9. Recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying), recurrent suicidal ideation without a specific plan, or a suicide attempt or a specific plan for committing suicide.
B. The symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment on social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
C. The episode is not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance or to another medical condition.
D. The occurrence of the major depressive episode is not better explained by schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, delusional disorder, or other specified and unspecified schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders.
E. There has never been a manic or a hypomanic episode.
Bipolar Disorder
Manic Episode
A. A distinct period of abnormally and persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood and abnormally and persistently increased goal-directed activity or energy, lasting at least 1 week and present most of the day, nearly every day.
B. During the period of mood disturbance and increased energy or activity, three (or more) of the following symptoms (four if the mood is only irritable) are present to a significant degree and represent a noticeable change from usual behavior:
1. Inflated self-esteem or grandiosity.
2. Decreased need for sleep (e.g., feels rested after only 3 hours of sleep).
3. More talkative than usual or pressure to keep talking.
4. Flight of ideas or subjective experience that thoughts are racing.
5. Distractibility as reported or observed.
6. Increase in goal-directed activity or psychomotor agitation.
7. Excessive involvement in activities that have a high potential for painful consequences (e.g., engaging in unrestrained buying sprees. Sexual indiscretions, or foolish business investments).
C. The mood disturbance is sufficiently severe to cause marked impairment in social of occupational functioning or to necessitate hospitalization to prevent harm to self or others, or there are psychotic features.
D. The episode is not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance or to another medical condition.
Hypomanic Episode
A. A distinct period of abnormally and persistently elevated, expansive, or irritable mood and abnormally and persistently increased activity or energy, lasting at least 4 consecutive day and present most of the day, nearly every day.
B. During the period of mood disturbance and increased energy and activity, three (or more) of the following symptoms (four if the mood is only irritable) have persisted, represent a noticeable change from usual behavior, and have been present to a significant degree.
1. Inflated self-esteem or grandiosity.
2. Decreased need for sleep (e.g., feels rested after only 3 hours of sleep).
3. More talkative than usual or pressure to keep talking.
4. Flight of ideas or subjective experience that thoughts are racing.
5. Distractibility as reported or observed.
6. Increase in goal-directed activity or psychomotor agitation.
7. Excessive involvement in activities that have a high potential for painful consequences (e.g., engaging in unrestrained buying sprees, Sexual indiscretions, or foolish business investments).
C. The episode is associated with an unequivocal change in functioning that is uncharacteristic of the individual when not symptomatic.
D. The disturbance in mood and the change in functioning are observation by others.
E. The episode is not severe enough to cause marked impairment in social or occupational functioning or to necessitate hospitalization. If there are psychotic features, the episode is, by definition, manic.
F. The episode is not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance.
2. Depression
2.1 Defining of Depression
Depression has been defined in a variety of terms referring to symptoms, syndrome, disorder or illness. Hippocrates described the states of “melancholia” and “mania”, attributing depression (melancholia) to black bile, one of the four humours, a toxic substance produced in the spleen or intestine, which affected the brain (Townsend, 2008).
Depression has been defined as feelings of sadness, loneliness, anxiety and despair. These feelings may lead to suicidal thoughts when individuals with depression have severe symptoms (Townsend, 2008).
Furthermore, Chittawon (2003) summarized depression in her study in Thailand as feelings of sadness, loneliness, being unloved, and self-worthlessness. Individuals with depression may also have held feelings of anger for a long time and may have been physically and sexually abused; as a result, the person may express loss of interest in daily activities, interaction with others, including school and work participation. These symptoms may be accompanied by physical problems such as abdominal pain, headache, insomnia or drowsiness.
2.2 Epidemiology of Depression
Depression is associated with long-term morbidity and increased mortality (Wilson, Mottram, Shworth, & Abou-saleh, 2003). According to the World Health Organization, globally 154 million people currently suffer from depressive illness (World Health Organization, 2007). In terms of worldwide disease burden, it is estimated that by the year 2020 major depressive disorder will rise from the fourth to the second most common cause of disease burden after ischaemic heart disease (Davidson & Meltzer-Brody, 1999; Murray & Lopez, 1997; Scott & Dickey, 2003; World Health Organization, 2006a)
Thailand has a population of approximately 63 million people, who are mainly Buddhist. The capital and largest city is Bangkok. Over the past decade, the country has experienced several severe economic and political crises. As a consequence, there has been a rapid increase in mental health problems, amounting to 12 million people or 20% of the population. Of these, depression accounts for approximately 1.2 million people. Furthermore, it is estimated that by the year 2010 the number diagnosed with mental illnesses will increase by an additional 1.1 million people (Department of Mental Health, 2008). The Department of Mental Health (2012) reported the number of people with depression were 154,242, in estimated number of people with depression who have not been treated nearly two million in the community. Moreover, depression is expected to be increased continuing.
2.3 Aetiology of Depression
The aetiology of depression is unclear. There is no single theory or hypothesis that adequately explains depression. However, in trying to understand the mechanisms that increase the risk for depression, current evidence emphasizes the interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors that contribute to individuals experiencing depression (Gotlib & Hammen, 2009; Semple, Smyth, Burns, Darjee, & McIntosh, 2005; Townsend, 2008).
2.3.1 Biological factors
Biological causes are due to hereditary factors and changes in the chemistry of the brain, such as imbalances in neurotransmitters, natural substances that allow brain cells to communicate with one another.
Genetic theories
In the field of psychiatric genetics, there are three classic approaches to studying depression: family and twins (Hagerty & Patusky, 2004; Townsend, 2008; Wallace, Schneider, & McGuffin, 2002). Family studies suggest depression runs in families (Hagerty & Patusky, 2004). Depression is two to three times more common in people with first-degree biological relatives with depression than in the general population (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Depression may run in families for non-genetic reasons, as family members typically share a common environment and culture. Nevertheless, all the factors that could conceivably contribute to familial clustering of the illness need to be addressed (Hagerty & Patusky, 2004).
Twin studies are based on the assumption monozygotic twins share the same genes and dizygotic twins have about 50% of their ge