Personality and Mood Disorders: Overview
Mood and personality disorders: lead to strained relationships, impaired social functioning, and difficulty communicating with other people. They do not fit into neat and tidy categories. Instead, the borders between various types of mental illness are "fuzzy." For example, 20% of people with bipolar disorder (BD) also suffer from borderline personality disorder (BPD). That's why mood and personality disorders are difficult to diagnose and treat. Genetics (bad genes) account for many occurences of these mental illness; they tend to run in families.
Mood disorders: In any given year, approximately 10% of the US population is dealing with a mood disorder. Mood disorders are broadly categorized as bipolar disorders and depressive disorders. The latter is more common. The brain areas responsible for controlling our feelings and emotions are the amygdala and orbito-frontal cortex. Brain imaging of patients with mood disorders reveals an enlarged (over-active) amygdala. This enlargement grows worse with repeated episodes of the mood disorder. Mood disorders often respond well to medication.
Personality disorders affect an estimated 9% of the US population. A personality disoder is a mental health condition in which people have deeply ingrained patterns of seeing themselves and reacting to others in ways that cause problems. People with personality disorders generally have a hard time understanding emotions and tolerating distress. They act impulsively and often engage in "black and white" thinking (a.k.a. "splitting). These things make it difficult for them to properly relate to others. Consequently, their mental illness seriously impairs their relationships, family life, social activities, work and school performance, and overall quality of life.
Cluster A: unconventional behaviour
- Paranoid
- Schizoid
- Schizotypal
Cluster B: dramatic and unpredictable symptoms
- Emotionally Unstable (a.k.a. Borderline PD)
- Narcissistic
- Histrionic
- Antisocial
- Impulsive
Cluster C: fear and anxiety
- Avoidant
- Obsessive-Compulsive
Since mood and personality disorders (usually) do not significantly impair cognitive thinking, people with these disorders often "present" well in the workplace and other public situations. Their personnae (the part of their character that they present in public) often gives little indication that they suffer from a mental illness. Their mental illness tends to be a "family secret," known only to those who live with the mentally ill person.
PROGNOSIS: Currently there is no "silver bullet" for mood and personality disorders. But they can be managed with a combination of medication, therapy, and living a healthy life style. People who take control over their disorder can still live productive lives with fulfilling relationships. But if left untreated their condition generally becomes progressively worse.