Maladaptive mood, originally referred to as depressive neurosis, is a mild form of depression characterized by persistent low mood. Maladaptive mood is often accompanied by anxiety, physical discomfort, and sleep disturbances, but it does not present with mania, nor are there significant psychomotor retardation or psychotic symptoms.
After over 50 years of clinical practice in traditional Chinese medicine, Director Zhang Yannong, a renowned TCM physician currently consulting at Wuhan Deyou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, explains: if major depressive disorder is considered an acute crisis, maladaptive mood is a chronic, mild depressive state, sometimes referred to as “neurotic depression.” If depression is likened to a storm, then maladaptive mood resembles the persistent drizzle of a gloomy, damp day during the plum rain season. Usually, the following phenomena are observed in maladaptive mood:
1. Duration
The symptoms of maladaptive mood last for at least two years, during which there are no periods of completely normal mood; even if there are, they generally do not exceed two months.
2. Personality Background
Individuals suffering from this condition often have specific personality traits, such as being sentimental, introverted, sensitive, and having poor stress tolerance from a young age, frequently triggered by adverse social stressors.
3. Clinical Symptoms
Though typically not as severe as major depression, those affected spend most of their time in a melancholic, oppressive, and depressed state, experiencing decreased interest, lack of confidence, and loss of faith in the future. In severe cases, suicidal thoughts may arise, often accompanied by anxiety, physical discomfort, and insomnia.
4. Functional Impact
Work, study, and daily life may not be severely affected, but efficiency and quality are significantly reduced.
Of course, on the basis of maladaptive mood, there can also be episodes of major depression, which we refer to as “double depression.” It is quite possible for an individual to suffer from both maladaptive mood and major depressive disorder simultaneously.
Director Zhang Yannong suggests that if you find yourself trapped under the shadow of maladaptive mood for a long time, instead of complaining about your situation, it’s better to come to Deyou early and consult a TCM physician to identify the root cause of your issues and help you quickly emerge from this “toxic emotion.”
Wuhan Deyou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, your caring health steward nearby, is worth your trust!
