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Mood Disorders
Mood disorders are often debilitating and can cause changes in behavior that may impact all areas of life, including relationships, work or school life, and/or elements of self-care and daily routines. Individuals diagnosed with a mood disorder usually have symptoms for several weeks or longer. Mood disorders include clinical depression and bipolar disorder.​​
What is Clinical Depression?
Clinical depression goes beyond normal grief and sadness. Some people may experience of sense of worthlessness and dwell on negative events. The filter of depression can render individuals unable to identify any positive traits or qualities in themselves.
How We Treat
The first line treatment for depression is a combination of antidepressant medications and psychotherapy. Since each individual’s depressive symptoms are unique, we understand that clinical depression can look very different from person to person which is why we focus on providing individualized treatment with tailored treatments that target each individual’s presenting symptoms.
Common Symptoms
of Clinical Depression
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Lack of joy – an activity or things a person once loved or cared about no longer brings them joy.
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Problematic sleeping – falling asleep at night or staying asleep all night can feel nearly impossible.
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Difficulty concentrating – even the simplest of decisions are difficult to make and/or activities like reading or watching television don’t hold an individual’s attention.
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Low energy – feeling tired all the time and unable to find the energy to do things or even get out of bed.
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Aches and pains – physical manifestations may include headaches or other body aches.
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Unhealthy food habits – sometimes individuals with depression lack an appetite and don’t eat. Others may reach for food as a tool of comfort and overeat or choose unhealthy foods.
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Low self-esteem – a sense of worthlessness often overwhelms those with depression. They don’t recognize their self-value and dwell on their negative traits.
Depression
Bipolar Disorder
Common Symptoms
of Bipolar Disorder
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Depression symptoms that may range from feeling sad, hopeless, or irritable.
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Mania symptoms may include a breadth of moods including feeling energetic, happy, elated, and engaging in high-risk behaviors.
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Patterns of depression and mania including:​
​- Rapid cycling – alternating between depression and mania in an unpredictable pattern.
- Mixed state – experiencing a combination of depression and mania.
- Rapid cycling – alternating between depression and mania in an unpredictable pattern.
What is Bipolar Disorder?
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Often misunderstood, the term bipolar disorder is frequently stigmatized and misrepresented in popular culture. What individuals need to understand about bipolar disorder is that it is a mental health condition marked by alternating periods of elation and depression characterized by both low moods/depressive symptoms and elevated moods of mania.
How We Treat
The first line treatment for bipolar disorder are mood stabilizer medications. We have vast experience with the most widely used mood stabilizers, to the newest and most innovative treatments available today. Looking at each individual as unique, we recognize that focusing on medication management will help patients progress with a course of treatment that helps them experience more balance in their everyday living.
