Mood Disorders

Care for a full spectrum of mood disorders

Mood disorders can have a large effect on your daily life. You experience more than just the ups and downs of daily life. These conditions cause extreme lows (depression), highs (mania), or both that last for long periods of time.

These episodes interfere with everyday activities, like work and school. They can also affect your long-term physical health, increasing your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic health conditions.

Mood disorders are very common — more than 21% of people will experience one at some time in their lifetimes. Fortunately, they’re also treatable.  

Mood disorder care at Reid Health

Our behavioral health specialists at Reid Health offer care for many types of mood disorders, including depression, postpartum depression, and bipolar disorders, at our clinics across East Central Indiana and West Central Ohio.

We offer comprehensive diagnosis and treatment with plans designed for your needs. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to these complex conditions, and we combine medications, specialized therapies, talk therapy, and other options to help you manage a mood disorder and live a fulfilling life. 

What are mood disorders?

The term “mood disorders” applies to many conditions that affect a person’s emotional state. This isn’t your everyday joy or sadness — it’s extreme joy or sadness that lingers for several weeks or longer.

While many people experiencing a mood disorder have emotions at one extreme or the other, they can also experience changing emotions on an intense scale or switch between periods of highs and lows.

These emotions can disrupt your daily life, causing changes in behavior and negatively affecting your ability to complete daily tasks. You might also experience energy levels that are higher or lower than normal and other physical symptoms. 

Types of mood disorders

Mood disorders generally fall into two categories: depressive disorders, which cause extreme sadness and low moods, and bipolar disorders, which cause people to switch between periods of extreme sadness and mania (when you have very high energy and symptoms like feeling talkative, having racing thoughts, or needing less sleep than normal).

Depressive disorders include:  

• Major depressive disorder: Often simply called depression, this is the most common type of mood disorder. Depression causes a persistent low mood and lack of interest in previously enjoyable activities.
• Adjustment disorder with depressed mood: This condition develops within three months of a stressor. It can be triggered by positive events, such as a job promotion or a new baby, or a negative event, such as the loss of a job or the death of a loved one.
• Depressive disorder because of another medical condition: As the name suggests, a health issue triggers this type of depression. Thyroid disorders are common causes. These conditions can cause hormonal imbalances that cause symptoms of depression. It’s also related to diabetes, strokes, Parkinson’s disease, and HIV/AIDs.
• Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD): This mood disorder affects children and teenagers. DMDD causes frequent outbursts of irritability and anger, contributing to problems at home and at school.  
• Persistent depressive disorder (PDD): Also called dysthymia, PDD is a type of depression that lasts for two years or longer. PDD causes “low-grade” sadness that is present on most days for most of the day.  
• Postpartum depression: This type of depression occurs during pregnancy or in the year following childbirth. More severe than the “baby blues,” postpartum depression can cause sadness, anxiety, or feelings of being overwhelmed for a period of at least two weeks.  
• Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD): PMDD is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) occurring in the seven to 10 days before a woman’s period. While the condition causes similar physical symptoms to PMS, it also causes extreme emotional and behavioral symptoms.
• Seasonal affective disorder (SAD): This form of depression occurs during certain seasons of the year. In the United States, SAD is most common during the fall and winter, when there are fewer hours of sunlight, but it’s also possible to experience SAD in other seasons. 

Bipolar disorders include:

• Bipolar I disorder: With bipolar I disorder, you have manic episodes that last longer than one week or require hospitalization. People with bipolar I disorder might also experience depression or alternating episodes of both mania and depression.
• Bipolar II disorder: This form of bipolar disorder causes depression and less severe manic episodes known as hypomania. Hypomanias are periods of high energy and mood that aren’t as extreme as a regular manic episode.
• Cyclothymic disorder: This bipolar disorder causes symptoms of both hypomania and depression. Those who have cyclothymic disorder usually experience alternating episodes of hypomania and depression for more than two years.  

Risk factors for mood disorders

Mood disorders can be related to many different things, ranging from your genetics to your lifestyle to your biology.  

Researchers have found certain brain structures in people with mood disorders are larger than is typical, and other research has shown family histories of mood disorders can play a role. Certain medical conditions, including brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, and cancer, can cause mood disorders, as can changes in how your body produces chemicals called neurotransmitters, which regulate your moods.

One major risk factor, though, is your personal life. Stressful events, such as a death in the family, and childhood traumas, such as abuse and neglect, can cause depression and other mood disorders.  

Mood disorder diagnosis and treatment

We offer comprehensive psychiatric evaluations to accurately diagnose mood disorders. With a complete picture of your mental health and an accurate diagnosis, our mental health professionals can work with you to find the best treatment or combination of treatments for your mood disorders, whether you need medication management, talk therapy, or another type of care.

Depending on your specific needs, your treatment plan might include:

• Antidepressants: This class of medications includes selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. Serotonin and norepinephrine are neurotransmitters (chemicals) that help regulate moods, and these medications treat depression by altering levels in your brain.
• Antipsychotics: These medications can help stabilize mania or a combination of mania and depression.  
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): A type of psychotherapy used to treat mood disorders, CBT helps you recognize and change unhelpful thought patterns. It might include a focus on specific emotions and emotional situations.
• Group, family, and individual counseling: These types of counseling might be used as part of treatment for mood disorders. During these sessions, you and your loved ones talk about your emotions and triggers for those emotions, and your therapist teaches you healthy coping methods.
• Lifestyle changes: Regular exercise, a consistent sleep routine, and a healthy diet can help manage the symptoms of mood disorders and improve quality of life. Researchers have found exercise, in particular, can treat depression as effectively as some medications.
• Light therapy: Used primarily for SAD, light therapy uses artificial light to supplement the sun and alleviate symptoms of seasonal mood changes.
• Mood stabilizers: These medications reduce abnormal brain activity, which might help regulate mood swings related to bipolar disorders.