Together psychosis and mood disorders, such as depression and bipolar disorder, are the leading causes of disability worldwide.
Psychosis describes the experience of losing contact with reality, often perceiving something that other people do not, whilst mood disorders encompass different forms of mood issues such as depression, anxiety and elated mood states.
Whilst standard medications for these disorders can be helpful, a proportion of individuals affected receive no, or only partial benefits from them. By pioneering novel, evidence-based care approaches, our theme is transforming the future of people suffering with psychosis and mood disorders
More precise, effective, and safer treatments are a priority for our patient and carer groups, and our work supports the early identification of those most at risk of poor outcomes with the aim of accelerating the administration of effective interventions to those unlikely to benefit from standard treatment.
Psychosis and mood disorders are complex illnesses. Psychosis can occur as part of having mood disorders, and conditions such as schizophrenia can be accompanied by mood-related symptoms. Through better understanding of the shared mechanisms behind these, we are adopting a framework that ensures the largest number of individuals benefit from innovations.
Finally, psychosis and mood disorders are also often complicated by long-term physical health conditions (LTCs) which compound poorer outcomes, high costs, and excess mortality. We are addressing these needs by building on our BRC-supported data collection system for people with LTCs to establish trials of simple, scalable digital interventions that can help those individuals affected by psychosis, mood and physical health disorders.
The Psychosis and Mood Disorders Theme has close links with the NIHR Mental Health Translational Research Collaboration, particularly with the Early Psychosis and the Mood Disorders network.
