Mood Disorder vs. Personality Disorder: The Differences
Understanding the difference between a mood disorder vs. personality disorder is essential for recognizing symptoms and finding effective treatment. While mood disorders primarily affect a person’s emotional state and energy levels, personality disorders involve enduring patterns of behavior and reactions that deviate from cultural expectations. Both conditions can disrupt lives but are treatable with the right care.
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What Is a Mood Disorder?
To fully appreciate the differences between a mood disorder vs. personality disorder, it can be valuable to review the symptoms of each type. We’ll begin with mood disorders.
Mood disorders are mental health conditions that affect a person’s emotional state and general mindset. The fluctuating emotions that are characteristic of mood disorders can also cause changes in energy level, appetite, sleep patterns, and related concerns.
Mood disorders usually fall into one of two categories, depressive disorders or bipolar disorders.
Depressive Disorders
Depressive disorders are associated with symptoms such as pervasive sadness, low motivation, poor self-confidence, and pervasive thoughts of death and dying. They can also cause significant changes in energy, appetite, and sleep.
The main differences among depressive disorders are when symptoms occur, how long they last, and how intense they become. The more common conditions in this category include:
- Major depressive disorder (MDD) involves severe symptoms. These symptoms are present most of the day, on most days, for at least two consecutive weeks.
- Persistent depressive disorder includes symptoms that occur more days than not. These symptoms persist for at least two years.
- Postpartum depression (PPD) causes symptoms to appear during pregnancy or shortly after giving birth.
- Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which is characterized by symptoms that only occur during a certain time of the year. SAD symptoms are most common during winter months, but some people struggle with them during warmer and brighter periods.
Bipolar Disorders
The defining features of bipolar disorders, a type of mood disorder, include dramatic swings in mood, attitude, and energy. Understanding these differences is essential when comparing a mood disorder vs. personality disorder, as they affect individuals in distinct ways. People with bipolar disorders may experience one or more of the following:
- Manic episodes involve elevated self-confidence, increased energy, and reduced need for sleep. During a manic episode, individuals may act impulsively in ways that cause harm, such as engaging in unsafe sex, reckless driving, or excessive spending or gambling. These episodes typically last at least a week.
- Hypomanic episodes are similar to manic episodes but are less intense and may only last for four days.
- Major depressive episodes meet the criteria for major depressive disorder, causing prolonged periods of sadness, low energy, and other depressive symptoms.
There are three primary types of bipolar disorders:
Bipolar I disorder involves manic episodes. A person with bipolar I disorder may also experience major depressive episodes, but depression is not required for this diagnosis.
- Bipolar II disorder includes both hypomanic and major depressive episodes.
- Cyclothymic disorder features hypomanic and depressive symptoms, though neither symptom type lasts long enough to qualify as a full episode.
When exploring a mood disorder vs. personality disorder, it is important to recognize how conditions like bipolar disorder differ from the behavioral and emotional patterns that define personality disorders. This understanding can help individuals find the most effective treatments.
What Are Personality Disorders?
The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) describes personality disorders as enduring and pervasive patterns of inner experiences and behaviors that deviate substantially from cultural expectations.
The DSM-5 includes entries for 10 personality disorders, organized into three clusters based on symptom similarities.
Cluster A
The DSM-5 notes that Cluster A personality disorders can cause people to be perceived as “odd or eccentric.” The three conditions in this cluster are:
- Paranoid personality disorder, which is characterized by suspicion, distrust, and hostility toward perceived insults
- Schizoid personality disorder, which causes a person to appear emotionally distant and detached, with little apparent interest in interacting with others
- Schizotypal personality disorder, which can include delusional thinking, dressing or speaking in a peculiar manner, and having few or no close relationships
Cluster B
Cluster B disorders cause people to act in what the DSM-5 describes as a “dramatic, emotional, or erratic” manner. This category includes:
- Antisocial personality disorder, which involves manipulating or exploiting others, anger management problems, and a lack of empathy
- Borderline personality disorder, which is characterized by instability in mood, self-confidence, and relationships, as well as a deep fear of being abandoned
- Histrionic personality disorder, which causes people to act seductively, provocatively, or otherwise dramatically as a means of becoming the center of attention
- Narcissistic personality disorder, which includes arrogance, manipulative behaviors, expectations of preferred treatment, and a belief in one’s superiority over others
Cluster C
The DSM-5 uses the terms “anxious and fearful” to describe the general characteristics of Cluster C personality disorders. The conditions in this category are:
- Avoidant personality disorder, which includes low self-esteem and a reluctance to participate in social events due to fear of being mocked or ridiculed
- Dependent personality disorder, which is characterized by an inability to function independently and a persistent need to be cared for by others
- Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCD), which causes people to become fixated on rules, structure, organization, and control
To clear up a common point of confusion, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder is not the same as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Though their names and some of their symptoms are similar, they are separate conditions with distinct diagnostic criteria.
Mood Disorder vs. Personality Disorder
The differences between a mood disorder and a personality disorder involve how professionals diagnose them, their prevalence, and their treatment methods.
Diagnoses
Mood disorders are generally defined by their impact on how a person feels. Personality disorders, on the other hand, are primarily characterized by how a person acts or reacts.
This distinction can be confusing. Mood disorders also influence behaviors, and personality disorders affect emotions. In diagnostic criteria, emotions are more significant in diagnosing mood disorders. Behaviors play a larger role in identifying personality disorders.
Prevalence
Mood disorders are more common than personality disorders:
- According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), about 8.3% of adults in the U.S. had a major depressive episode in the previous 12 months, and about 2.8% had symptoms of a bipolar disorder over the same period.
The NIMH has reported that borderline personality disorder, which is the most frequently occurring personality disorder, affects about 1.4% of adults in a typical year.
Treatment
Therapy can be a valuable element of care for patients who have either a mood disorder or a personality disorder. However, there are also some key differences in how these conditions are treated.
For example, several prescription medications have been specifically designed to alleviate symptoms of depressive disorders and bipolar disorders.
Researchers have not yet developed medications specifically for treating personality disorders. Many individuals with personality disorders also experience anxiety, depression, or other co-occurring mental health conditions. These conditions can often be treated with medication.
Some personality disorders, particularly those in Cluster B, can be very challenging to treat. This is partly because individuals with these disorders may refuse to acknowledge their condition or believe they need professional help.
This does not mean that personality disorders are untreatable. Instead, it emphasizes the difficulties that friends and family may encounter when trying to connect their loved ones with appropriate care.
Find Treatment for Mood and Personality Disorders in Philadelphia
At New Mind Wellness Center, we provide comprehensive and compassionate outpatient care. Our programs support people facing challenges from mood disorders, personality disorders, and other mental health concerns.
In Philadelphia, we offer several treatment options. These include a partial hospitalization program (PHP), an intensive outpatient program (IOP), and an outpatient program (OP).
To learn more about how we can help you or a loved one, or to schedule a free consultation, please visit our admissions page or call us today.
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If you are ready to take the first step towards a healthier mind, contact us today. You will be connected with someone who can help guide you through our simple and straightforward admissions process. Learn more about our mental health programs in Philadelphia and begin your journey towards lasting wellness.
