What is an affective disorder?

RRB Nsg. Superintendent-20 July 2019 (Shift-3rd)

Mental Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: RRB Nsg. Superintendent-20 July 2019 (Shift-3rd)

Explanation

Affective disorders, also known as mood disorders, are primarily characterized by a pathological disturbance in the patient's mood.
Bipolar disorder is a classic example of an affective disorder, defined by its characteristic extreme mood swings between two poles: mania (elevated mood) and depression (low mood).
The core feature of Bipolar disorder is the pathological shift in mood, which directly fits the definition of an affective disorder.

Option A: This is an anxiety disorder, not a mood disorder. Its primary feature is an intense, irrational fear of a specific object or situation.
Option C: This is a somatic symptom disorder. It is characterized by physical symptoms that cause significant distress but lack a clear medical explanation, which is different from a primary mood disturbance.
Option D: This is a psychotic disorder. It is primarily characterized by disturbances in thought, perception, and behavior (e.g., hallucinations, delusions), not a primary disturbance of mood.

Visual 1: Chart - A chart illustrating the mood spectrum in Bipolar Disorder, showing the cycles between euthymia (normal mood), mania, and depression. This helps visualize the core concept of mood swings.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Classification of Affective (Mood) Disorders as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Correctly identifying a patient's condition as an affective disorder is crucial for initiating the right treatment; for instance, using mood stabilizers like lithium for bipolar disorder versus antipsychotics for schizophrenia.
Nurses play a key role in monitoring for mood shifts, assessing suicide risk during depressive phases, and managing impulsive behaviors during manic phases to ensure patient safety.
What if? If a patient presents with delusions and hallucinations that are consistent with their mood (e.g., grandiose delusions during mania), it is termed 'mood-congruent psychotic features' and is still part of the bipolar diagnosis, unlike schizophrenia where psychosis is the primary and defining feature.

How to Approach the Question

First, understand the question's core concept: 'affective disorder'. Recall or deduce that this is another term for 'mood disorder'.
Next, analyze each option based on its primary, defining characteristic.
Evaluate Option A: Phobic anxiety disorder is defined by 'fear,' which is a hallmark of anxiety disorders.
Evaluate Option B: Bipolar disorder is defined by extreme shifts in 'mood' (mania and depression).
Evaluate Option C: Somatoform disorder is defined by 'physical symptoms' without a medical cause.
Evaluate Option D: Schizophrenia is defined by 'thought and perception disturbances' (psychosis).

Concept Tested & Keywords

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