Mood
Strictly speaking, the term mood refers to the emotional state that prevails in a person at any given time. However in psychiatry the term mood is often used to describe the emotional state that has lasted for a period of time and which has colored much of the patient's recent experiences.
Diurnal variations of mood
This describes a variation of the mood which shows a consistent 24 hour cycle. For example in a depressed patient, the mood may be lowest in the early hours of the day and the patient may feel a little better towards the evenings. If this variation of mood is seen consistently everyday it is referred to as his diurnal variation of mood.
Elation
This is an abnormally elevated mood,which is persistent and not due to any obvious reason. An elevated mood is one of the main features of mania. These patients appear very cheerful,having a strong sense of well being and self confidence and they do not respond to external depressing influence. This elation of mood is often accompanied by over activity,pressure of speech and flight of ideas. The elevated mood in manic patients shows an infectious gaiety -i.e, the observer often gets caught up in the patient's gay mood.Elated mood can also occur in schizophrenia and certain organic states such as general paresis of the insane.
Euphoria
A state of unconcern and contentment which is not justified by circumstances. Unlike elation euphoria is not infectious. Euphoria may be seen in organic illnesses such as disseminated sclerosis, amnestic syndrome and frontal lobe lesions.
Lability of affect
Here the patient's emotions change rapidly. The patient has difficult in controlling his emotions.
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