Mood Disorders
A mood disorder is a condition whereby the prevailing emotional mood is distorted or inappropriate to the circumstances. The two major types of mood disorders are depression (or uni-polar depression) and bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder described by alternating periods of mania and depression (and in some cases rapid cycling, mixed states, and psychotic symptoms). There are also forms of mood disorder that are specific to women, related to physiological events such as pregnancy, giving birth or the menopause - these include Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder and Postpartum Depression.