9781422272381

In part, this is because the study of mood had little momentum for most of the twentieth century. Researchers had little interest in the topic; skeptics questioned whether something as evanescent as mood could ever be studied with precision or objectivity . . . The emerging field known as affective science now benefits from an enviable wealth of measurement tools, with standard techniques for measuring the moods that people report; systems for measuring behavior in the lab and in the field; and new ways to monitor the physiology of mood and emotions, from functional brain scans to miniature sensors that monitor the body as people go about their everyday lives. 1 Unlocking the Mystery of Mood While it is true that mood is an internal, subjective state of mind that varies from one individual to the next, it can often be inferred from posture, speech, choices, and other behaviors. People react in a certain way in response to moods, and there are signals that others can pick up on that hint at whether we are feeling good or bad. A person can have a change in mood because of an unexpected event, good or bad, such as a death, divorce, loss of a friendship, marriage, or arrival of a baby. Positive events can lift mood. Negative events can cause a drop in mood. People can have particular moods for no apparent reason, such as waking up feeling grumpy or just feeling “off” without explanation. Whatever triggers mood changes, people are facing a growing epidemic of shifting, fluctuating, up-and-down mood swings. “Adult rates of depression and anxiety [and others] have tripled since 1990 and over eight percent of those who consult medical doctors today complain of excessive stress,” writes Julia Ross, the executive director of a clinic that treats mood disorders. “Even our children are

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History of Mood Disorders