Mood congruence happens when a person’s mood matches their behavior, such as euphoria during a manic episode.
Keep reading to learn more about how mood congruence and incongruence can affect symptoms of bipolar disorder.
Incongruent Mood in Bipolar Disorder
Incongruent means “conflicting.”
Verywell / Catherine Song
As such, mood incongruence implies that the symptoms conflict with the person’s current mood.
Congruent Mood in Bipolar Disorder
By contrast, congruent means “in agreement.”
Research suggests that around half of people who have bipolar disorder experience symptoms of psychosis.
Instead, the terms allow us to classify any false beliefs a person may have to provide appropriate treatment.
We refer to these false beliefs as psychoses.
Psychosis involveshallucinations(experiencing things that are not real) and/ordelusions(believing things that are not real).
Experiencing psychosis featuring mood incongruence is associated with a more severe course of illness.
Research suggests that the presence of mood incongruence is associated with more severe, difficult experiences with bipolar disorder.
Delusions, by contrast, are firmly held beliefs that are neither true nor based in reality.
They do not involve hallucinations but instead play out in beliefs and actions that are contrary to reality.
This includes theuse of medication(mood stabilizers, antidepressants, antipsychotics) andpsychotherapy.
It is important that any person with bipolar disorder receive ongoing care and medical oversight.
This is especially true for those experiencing mood-incongruent symptoms in whom the risk of hospitalization andsuicide is far greater.
If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor.
If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
Medication and therapy can help you manage these sympotms of bipolar disorder.
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