Mental Illness

Substance-induced mood disorder must always be considered in three possibilities: (1) a patient may be taking drugs for the treatment of nonpsychiatric medical problem; (2) a patient may have been accidentally and perhaps unknowingly, exposed to neurotoxic chemicals; and (3) the patient may have taken a substance for recreational purposes or may be dependent on such substance.

When making the diagnosis of substance induced mood disorder, the clinician should specify the substance involved, the time of onset (during intoxication or withdrawal) and the nature of the symptoms (e.g. manic or depressed)

Differential Diagnosis for Mood Disorder- A history of mood disorder in the patient or the patient’s family weighs toward the diagnosis of a primary mood disorder, although such a history does not rule out the possibility of substance-induced mood disorder. Substance can also trigger an underlying mood disorder in a patient who is biologically vulnerable to mood disorders.