Mood Disorders in Children

Mood disorders, sometimes called affective disorders, are a group of mental health conditions that are characterized by instability (extreme elevations and/or lowering) of an individual’s emotional state. Some of the most common mood disorders are major depression, dysthymia (a chronic, low-grade depression lasting for more than two years), bipolar (periods of depression alternating with periods of elevated mood), mood disorder related to a medical condition, and substance-induced mood disorders (related to medications, substance abuse, exposure to toxins, or other medical treatments). Mood disorders are one of the most frequently diagnosed mental health disorders in children. Children commonly demonstrate signs and symptoms of mood disorders differently than adults, and because children can struggle to express their feelings, making an accurate diagnosis can be difficult. Current research ...