Mental Disorders

For many Americans it is difficult to come to terms with any type of medical diagnosis. Some may know the warning signs and simply ignore them. Unfortunately mental disorders have plagued many people for years. Going without diagnosis and treatment can have devastating effects to themselves and their families. According to the National Institute of Mental Health "Approximately 20.9 million American adults, or about 9.5 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year, have a mood disorder" (NIMH, 2009). These disorders come in several forms and can have many different warning signs. For some these signs or symptoms can be mild and for others the signs are immediately noticed.

"Mood disorders are characterized by disturbances in mood or prolonged emotional state sometimes referred to as affect." (Psychological Disorders, 2010) Because everyone has their own mental capacity it can be difficult for a professional to diagnose. Some people can't cry unless it is a highly emotional situation, others can cry at the first sign of emotional distress. While others may show anger in a stressful situation and some may feel the tendency to laugh. These are all nature human behaviors; each of these emotions can also be signs or symptoms of mood disorders. Because these signs and symptoms are so broad and are also specific to several different mood disorders they can be misdiagnosed for years.