Mood disorder is classified as a brain disease whereby an individual’s thinking, mood, and functioning persistently swings to cause a disturbance. Mood disorder manifests as bipolar or depressive disorders. In this case, the first disorder establishes an unstable recurring mood shifting between depression and mania, which is low and high mood. Other common mood disorder types include dysthymia, psychotic depression, seasonal affective disorder, substance-induced, and other health-related conditions, such as chronic illness and cancer. Getting treatment for mood disorders in Chandler, Arizona can help you get back on track!
Causes of Mood Disorders
Essentially, biological, genetic, and environmental factors are the decisive origins of mood disorders. Brain chemical imbalance, family history, brain functioning and structure, stress, trauma, and physical illness are common grounds for mood disorders. People experiencing these conditions undergo prolonged periods of intense sadness or happiness, or both.
Mood Disorder Symptoms
Mood disorder symptoms vary from one person to another depending on factors, such as type and age. The following are the conventional mood disorder indicators:
- Excessive guilt
- Low self-esteem
- Developing a worthless and inadequate feeling
- Ongoing anxiety and sadness feeling
- Interest loss in previously engaging activities
- Hostility, irritability, and aggression
- Sluggish feeling and energy loss
- Overacting and appetite loss
- Excessive gaining or losing of weight
- Frequent suicide and death thoughts
- Relationship problems
- Concentration difficulties and sleep patterns changes
The above feelings are usually intense when it is a mood disorder compared to normal conditions because they are prolonged. Therefore, individuals experiencing these conditions are encouraged to seek medical advice for examination and diagnosis by a healthcare provider.
Mood Disorder Diagnosis
The diagnosis of mood disorders is by mental health professionals or psychiatrists. It is usually done through psychiatric evaluation and comprehensive assessment of the patient’s mental health history. The diagnosis and treatment for mood disorders are made through both psychological and physical health evaluations. Physicians will carry out physical tests to establish any existing medical conditions causing mood changes. Upon completion, a mental health caregiver will step in to execute multiple tests to determine the patient’s mental health and mood stability. Social stigma is a significant concern, which pushes many individuals to become reluctant in seeking medical intervention.
Treatment and Management of Mood Disorders
The treatment for mood disorders is mostly through psychotherapy and medications. However, the conditions can persist even with treatment. Besides, they can even last a lifetime or fluctuate by disappearing and reoccurring from time to time. The treatment for mood disorder requires teaching about the condition to enable the victims to understand their behavioral patterns. The knowledge is essential to allow those experiencing these conditions to seek further medical treatment from professionals. The treatment of mood disorders typically relies on the prescription of anti-anxiety medications and antidepressants to the patients. The purpose of recommending these medications is to relieve the emotional anguish.
The other treatment for mood disorder entails talk therapy, commonly referred to as psychotherapy. This treatment intends to influence and change the behaviors and thought patterns of the individuals suffering from this condition. Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy is also considered the yardstick for the treatment of mood disorders because it presents notable positive responses from patients.
Nevertheless, the treatment for mood disorders, for instance, bipolar depression, requires mood stabilizers and lifelong medication. This treatment is often pooled with psychotherapy to increase efficiency. When the condition becomes severe, the involved individuals can be hospitalized. The hospitalization circumstances range from when one attempts suicide or inflicts harm to his body.
Primarily, the treatment for mood disorders entails antidepressants, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, brain stimulation, and talk therapies.
Overall, the treatment for mood disorder involves other therapeutic approaches besides psychotherapy and drugs. The techniques include alternative therapies, products, and medical procedures, such as electroconvulsive treatment for brain stimulation.
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If you are living with a mood disorder in Chandler, Arizona, help is available for you. Contact me today to schedule an appointment!