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Chapter 5 focuses on the class of disorders termed mood disorders; including well known disorders such as bipolar and major depressive disorders, and newer categorizations like Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder.
The chapter begins with a comprehensive overview of mood disorders and discusses their classification and treatment. Of particular significance is the addition of Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder to the range disorders included in the DSM. Due to their similarities with pre-existing disorders, much controversy surrounds their categorization and inclusion in the DSM. Nevertheless, they add up to the range of mood disorders outlined in the DSM. The other two are bipolar and major depression, which are believed to have evolved from much older concepts like melancholia and mania.
Further, the issue of treating mood disorders with medications are discussed with researchers typically supporting one of three perspectives: a first, which links the potency of antidepressants to placebo effects; a second, which deems psychotherapy as more beneficial; and a third, which acknowledges the persistent preference for antidepressant treatment.
Lastly, the chapter explores issues and controversies surrounding the classification of mood disorders through an investigation of arts, as well as mass and social media portrayals of the disorder. Evidence suggests a mixed effect of media portrayals, with images sometimes being stigmatizing and other times positive.
Overall, the chapter highlights contemporary trends in the definition and classification of mood disorders in an undertaking that sheds light on the fluidity of mental illness.