Person's normal moods are the body's reaction to outside or inside stimulation, which allows a person to handle, cope, or otherwise experience healthy emotions. Healthy responses to normal emotions are what allow us to socialize, retain community responsibility, hold a job and otherwise deal with our daily functions.

How to understand mood disorder? It is one of several different conditions as diagnosed where someone's moods are inconsistent with the appropriateness of their circumstances or surroundings. The most common mood disorders are depression, in all its forms, or bipolar mood disorder (simply: mood swings). There is a less common term called schizoid-affective disorder that is a combination of schizophrenia and another disorder.

Bipolar mood disorder sometimes used to be referred to as "manic depression". The mood condition is characterized by high elevated and severely lowered mood swings, either together or separated by months or even years. Sometimes mood swings can last for a few minutes or hours, and can come and go with no warning at all. It is estimated that at least 2000000 Americans have some degree of bipolar mood disorder. Bipolar mood disorder is found to affect all types of sexes, ethic, races, social groups. It is thought that there might be a familial connection between sufferers, but this has yet to be determined.

What are the causes? It is the result of a chemical imbalance, as well as the faulty stimulation from a dysfunction or misshapen area of the brain. There is also some indication that bipolarity is genetic, but studies are inconclusive at this time so this can not be considered a fact.

Bipolar mood disorder, as well as other depressive disorders include severe lows such as prolonged sadness or unexplained crying spells, irritability, anger, worry, agitation, pessimism, significant changes in sleep patterns, loss of energy or extreme fatigue, inability to concentrate, unexplained aches and pains, suicidal thoughts, feelings of guilt or worthlessness.

Sufferers of bipolar mood disorder experience the presence of highs, which are characterized by increased physical and mental activity and energy, heightened mood, excessive irritability, aggressive behaviour, exaggerated optimism and self-confidence, decreased need for sleep without experiencing fatigue, racing speech, grandiose delusions, impulsiveness, reckless behaviour, delusions and hallucinations.

People that are suffering from bipolar mood disorder cannot be self-diagnosed. 

There are no lab tests that can indicate the presence of the disorder. Only a trained medical or mental health professional must conduct interviews and tests. Medication must be strictly managed, if it is required. When patients are feeling better, they tend to stop taking medication, which can lead to a return of previous symptoms.