Mood Disorders

Mood Disorders Society of Canada

The Mood Disorders Society of Canada (MDSC) is a national, not for profit, consumer driven, voluntary health charity committed to ensuring that the voices of consumers, family members and caregivers are heard on issues relating to mental health and mental illness; and in particular with regard...

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Mental illness is a serious disturbance in thoughts, feelings and perceptions that is severe enough to affect day-to-day functioning. Some names for mental illness include: schizophrenia, depression, bi-polar disorder, anxiety disorders, eating disorders and borderline personality disorder.

Schizophrenia: Seeing, smelling or hearing things that aren’t there – or holding firm beliefs that make no sense to anyone else but you.

Depression: Intense feelings of sadness and worthlessness – so bad that you have lost interest in life.

Bi-Polar Disorder: Cycles of feeling intensely happy and invincible followed by depression.

Anxiety Disorders: Panic attacks, phobias, obsessions or post traumatic stress disorder.

Eating Disorders: Anorexia (not eating), or bulimia (eating too much and then vomiting).

Borderline Personality Disorder: Severe difficulty with relationships, placing yourself in danger, making decisions that turn out to be very bad for you – most often as a result of a history of child abuse, abandonment or neglect.

More information: Important statistics relating not only to mental illnesses and addictions as they impact individuals and their families but also as they impact the healthcare system, the workplace, and the economy in general. It also provides an understanding of the relationship between mental illnesses, addictions, and physical illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Read more about the facts of mood disorders - English/French.