Other considerations for people with mood disorder

Mood disorders tend to respond well to effective treatment, and recognising the symptoms and signs early may be critical for the person’s quality of life. It is important to recognise the need for medication review, as it may be difficult for some people with intellectual disability to recognise or report side effects.   As well as specific treatment of the episode of mood disorder, it is important to consider the circumstances in which the illness has occurred or relapsed (e.g. around Christmas or a birthday, in the context of sleep disturbance, after an episode of medical illness etc.) This will help to identify potential triggers or reinforcers and potentially decrease the likelihood of future episodes. For instance, if a depressive or manic episode seems to have been triggered by family problems, it may be useful to consider family therapy as well as treating the mood disorder in the person. Grief therapy may also be considered if the trigger for the depressive episode is a bereavement or anniversary reaction.