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WHAT IS A MOOD DISORDER?

A mood disorder is a condition rooted in the brain that affects the way a person thinks, feels, and acts. Depression is a type of mood disorder that involves feeling bad most or all of the time. Another type is called bipolar disorder, which involves swings between feeling “too good” and “too bad.” (Another book in this series, Bipolar Disorder, gives more information about that condition.) Mood disorders are more common than you might think. For example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that almost 1 in 10 people suffers from depression each year. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry tells us that at any given moment, 1 in 20 children has some form of depression.

feel a bit “pushed down.” They are often tired. They feel empty inside. Things they used to love just don’t appeal to them anymore. Having depression is different from being sad. Everybody feels sad sometimes—it’s normal. And if something really bad happens, like if someone you love dies or if your parents get divorced, it’s normal to feel sad for a long time. But people who feel sad about an event will start to feel better in time. It might take a while, but we all bounce back. People with depression can bounce back, too. But it can be harder. They may need help from friends and family—and sometimes from mental health professionals. People with depression can—and do—get better. Later chapters will talk about how we can try to help people with