Mood Disorders Treatment

Symptoms and Types of Mood Disorders

Symptoms of a mood disorder differ depending on diagnosis and severity, and whether the patient is also struggling with a substance use disorder or a separate mental health concern. Some people may only experience low mood and social withdrawal. For others, the symptoms may consist of irritability and agitation, fear, obsession or mania, or a combination of these. 

At Banyan, we treat a number of mental health conditions related to mood:

Symptoms of Anxiety

• Persistent and exaggerated worry or anxiety that is difficult to control
• Feelings of nervousness, tension, restlessness, panic attacks, and racing thoughts
• Sleep difficulties, irritability, and difficulty in concentrating
• Avoidance of situations because they feel threatening or unsafe

Symptoms of Depression

• A pervasive feeling of sadness, emptiness, or hopelessness
• Loss of interest or pleasure in previously enjoyable or fulfilling activities
• Disruptions in sleep, eating, motivation, energy, and daily activities
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or emotional exhaustion

Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder

• Depressive episodes that alternate with periods of abnormally elevated, or irritable, mood
• Excessive energy, racing thoughts, impulsive behavior, and decreased need for sleep
• Dramatic swings in energy, concentration, judgment, and activity
• Problems at work, school, at home, in relationships, or with money

Symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

• Recurring thoughts that are unwanted and cause a great deal of distress
• Repeating behaviors that are performed to reduce the anxiety from obsessive thoughts
• Repeatedly checking things, counting, cleaning, or asking for reassurance
• Feeling ashamed, secretive, or distressed about how much time your symptoms take up

Diagnosing Mood Disorders

Mood disorders can be diagnosed by mental health professionals, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, licensed therapists, or other health care providers with clinical training to evaluate emotional and behavioral symptoms. Getting a diagnosis doesn't mean just having one "down" moment or filling out one survey. 

A clinician needs to understand the whole picture of a client's experience in order to give a formal diagnosis. This could involve a clinical interview, an overview of how you feel from day to day, your medical and family history, and questions about your sleep habits, behavior, how you function in day-to-day life, and your safety.

It could also include screening for substances used, past trauma, mental health conditions, or medications you are already taking. It's important to know these things because symptoms can often overlap. For example, severe anxiety is distinguishable from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and bipolar disorder (BD) can sometimes be confused with depression when someone seeks treatment during a depressive period. Having an accurate diagnosis makes it more likely that a treatment plan can be formulated which is specific, achievable, and that works on fixing the underlying cause rather than a temporary set of symptoms.

Treatment for Mood Disorders

While mood disorder treatment plans are as different as the people who receive them, there are some elements that are often used to create a comprehensive treatment plan. Usually, the treatment plan is more likely to involve several modalities rather than just one. Often, therapy is the basis of the clinical treatment. Depending on a person's symptoms, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) may help to challenge unhelpful thoughts, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) may help to build more effective emotional regulation skills and distress tolerance. Exposure therapy may help with issues like anxiety and OCD, while trauma-focused treatment may be helpful to those whose mood symptoms may have been triggered or exacerbated by past trauma.

Medication management is often a component of treatment as well, especially when the severity and duration of the symptoms warrant it. A treatment plan could involve a variety of different kinds of medications including antidepressants, mood stabilizers, anti-anxiety medications, and so on. Medications should only be prescribed and carefully monitored by a physician or healthcare professional who is familiar with a person's mental health.

Effective treatment for a person with a mood disorder will often encompass much more than weekly therapy appointments and medication checks. Many clients will also need structure, mental health education (psychoeducation), help with getting adequate sleep, and assistance with getting into a rhythm of healthy life habits. Treatment often works to try to get a client feeling better, but the real test comes in whether clients are able to better handle their symptoms and more confidently participate in their daily lives.

Banyan's Approach to Treating Mood Disorders

At Banyan Treatment Centers, treatment plans for those struggling with a mood disorder start with a thorough clinical assessment. This assessment takes a close look at the person's specific diagnosis, how bad their symptoms are, how they function on a daily basis, any medical needs, family issues, and whether they have experienced any trauma and used any substances in the past. Based on this, a clinical team will determine what kind of treatment will work best for them.

Banyan's treatment approach uses evidence-based therapies and a whole person approach. This means looking at a person's emotional symptoms, but also at how well they are doing day-to-day, as well as how well they manage stress, sleep, relationships, and mental health. For a client suffering from a depressive disorder, this could mean working on getting out of bed and into daily life, learning more effective coping skills, and learning to monitor one's moods. 

For someone with Bipolar Disorder, it could mean stabilizing one's mood and medication management to maintain that level, in addition to establishing a routine which works for them. For someone experiencing issues like anxiety or OCD, a treatment plan could involve lessening avoidant behaviors and working on building resilience against distress. Each and every person's treatment plan is different, and it is designed in a way to be a dynamic and flexible process.

Levels of Care for Mood Disorder Treatment

Not every person dealing with a mood disorder will need the same level of care. It depends on how severe their mood symptoms are, whether or not they are currently safe to be around, whether or not they are doing okay at their day-to-day activities, and whether or not they are able to manage other stressors while receiving treatment.

Residential treatment provides the most intense level of care and is appropriate for individuals whose symptoms of mood disorder are either severe or problematic to handle within the home environment. 

Partial hospitalization may be appropriate for those clients who need intensive daytime mental health care, but who do not need a higher level of 24/7 care. 

Outpatient treatment allows people who are stable enough to continue living at home to come in for treatment and structured programming during the week. People who have a need for greater regularity yet still need flexibility may benefit from outpatient care via Telehealth.

What to Expect During Mood Disorder Treatment

People often start their treatment journey with an intake that includes a discussion of their symptoms, history, goals, and current crises. From there, clinicians lay out a plan for treatment and discuss what services may be involved during treatment. Clients can expect things such as therapy, skills building, psychoeducation, and regular assessments of mood, coping, and progress. Medication may also play a role as indicated, and plans for treatment may be modified in response to changing symptoms or new needs over the course of treatment. 

In addition, much work may be done addressing issues including sleep, daily routines, communication skills, and ways to cope with stress or trigger symptoms. Treatment is not intended to help people to "be perfect" in a matter of months. Instead, it should help people to gain clarity, reduce disorder and instability, and begin to feel more stable, capable, and ready for life in general.