Mood disorders like depression or bipolar disorder can cause long periods of sadness, extreme highs and lows or changes in energy and focus. We help you manage your emotions and find balance so you can feel more in control every day.
Helping you feel more like yourself with a mood disorder
While everyone feels sad or down sometimes, mood disorders involve extreme mood swings that can last for weeks or months. These shifts can make it hard to concentrate and affect work, school, relationships and family life.
We are experts in diagnosing and treating mood disorders like depression and bipolar disorder. Therapy, medications and other supports can help manage your feelings and strengthen your ability to cope with life’s challenges. We work with you to find the right treatment plan to help stabilize your mood.
You don’t have to manage a mood disorder alone. Our team provides expert guidance and practical strategies to help you feel more balanced and in control.
If you or someone you know is thinking about hurting themselves, getting help immediately is crucial. You can call 911, go to the nearest emergency room, or contact a crisis hotline by calling or texting 988.
Find a doctor near me
Conditions
Mood disorders are medical conditions that affect how we feel, think and handle daily life. They are more than just feeling sad for a few days. These conditions can happen to anyone at any age and may be influenced by genetics, stress, trauma or major life changes. We treat many types of mood disorders, including:
- Adjustment disorder: Short-term mood changes in response to stress including sadness, irritability or low energy
- Bipolar disorder: Periods of very high energy or mania that alternate with episodes of depression
- Cyclothymia: Mild mood swings with brief periods of high and low moods
- Disruptive mood dysregulation: Frequent irritability or temper outbursts that affect daily life
- Hypomania: A milder form of mania with elevated mood, energy or activity
- Major depressive disorder: Persistent sadness, low energy and loss of interest in activities
- Persistent depressive disorder: Long-lasting, milder depression that still impacts daily life
- Premenstrual dysphoric disorder: Severe mood changes that happen before menstruation
Common signs of mood disorders can include:
- Changes in weight or appetite
- Feeling sad, empty or down most of the time
- Feeling worthless or guilty
- Losing interest or pleasure in things you usually enjoy
- Low energy or constant fatigue
- Thoughts of death or suicide
- Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
Testing
Getting the right support for a mood disorder starts with understanding your unique experience. Conditions like depression or bipolar disorder affect how we feel, think and handle daily life. They look different for everyone, and no single test can capture the full picture.
Our goal is to assess your symptoms, rule out other causes and create a personalized plan to help manage your emotions and improve daily life. Assessment is about understanding your experiences and finding the best ways to support mental health.
We use a combination of approaches that support mood, behaviors, physical health and daily routines. This helps us accurately understand mood disorders and guide effective treatment, including:
- Blood work: Lab tests to check for medical conditions like thyroid problems or vitamin deficiencies that can affect mood
- Imaging: Brain scans in some cases to rule out other causes of mood changes and support an accurate assessment
- Mood charting: Tracking mood, sleep, energy and triggers over time to spot patterns and guide care decisions
- Psychiatric assessment: A detailed conversation about mood, energy, sleep and daily routines to see how symptoms affect life
- Psychological evaluation: Questionnaires and assessments that measure symptom severity and how daily life is impacted
By combining these tools, we can develop a plan that stabilizes emotions, supports behavioral health and improves daily life.
Treatments
Living with a mood disorder can feel challenging, but effective treatments can help you feel more balanced, regain control and enjoy life more fully. The right plan is tailored to your needs and often combines several approaches for the best results.
- Family and social support: Loved ones can play an important role. We provide guidance so family and friends can offer encouragement, understanding and meaningful support
- Lifestyle support: Healthy habits boost treatment and overall well-being. Regular exercise, balanced nutrition, good sleep and stress management support both body and mind
- Medications: Medicines like mood stabilizers or antidepressants help balance brain chemicals that affect mood. They can lift energy, reduce extreme highs or lows and make day-to-day life easier
- Ongoing monitoring and follow-up: Mood disorders can change over time. Regular check-ins track progress, adjust the plan as needed and celebrate improvements along the way
- Psychotherapy (talk therapy): Working with a trained professional helps you understand your mood, uncover patterns and develop strategies to handle challenges. Common approaches include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), interpersonal therapy and supportive counseling
The right combination of treatments can help you feel more in control of your emotions. It can strengthen resilience and help you build a life that feels balanced, fulfilling and hopeful.
FAQs
What is a mood disorder?
A mood disorder is a medical condition that affects how you feel, think and handle daily life. It goes beyond feeling sad or moody for a few days. People with mood disorders may experience long periods of depression, extreme highs, or both, which can affect work, school, relationships and daily routines.
What are the most common mood disorders?
Mood disorders include depression, bipolar disorder, persistent depressive disorder, cyclothymia, premenstrual dysphoric disorder and disruptive mood dysregulation. Each condition affects people differently, and symptoms can range from mild to severe.
What causes mood disorders?
Mood disorders can result from a mix of factors. Genetics may make some people more likely to develop them. Brain chemistry, stressful life events, trauma or major changes like job loss or divorce can also play a role. Often, it’s a combination of factors rather than a single cause.
What are the symptoms of mood disorders?
Symptoms vary, but common signs include persistent sadness or emptiness, loss of interest or pleasure in activities, low energy or fatigue, trouble sleeping or sleeping too much, changes in weight or appetite, irritability, difficulty concentrating, feelings of worthlessness, and thoughts of death or suicide. Symptoms can look different for each person and may change over time.
How are mood disorders diagnosed?
There isn’t one single test. Diagnosis usually involves a comprehensive evaluation, including a psychiatric assessment, psychological questionnaires, mood tracking, lab tests and sometimes brain imaging. These tools help us understand your symptoms, rule out other conditions and create a personalized treatment plan.
How do I get started with treatment?
The first step is usually talking to your primary care doctor. They can help assess your symptoms, rule out medical issues that may affect mood, and refer you to a mental health professional if needed. Early support can make treatment more effective and help you feel better sooner.
What treatments are available?
Treatment depends on your needs. It may include medications to balance brain chemistry, therapy to help you understand your mood and develop coping strategies, lifestyle support like exercise, sleep and nutrition, family guidance to involve loved ones in your care, and regular follow-up to track progress and adjust your plan. Combining these approaches gives the best results.
Can mood disorders be managed?
Yes. With the right support, people with mood disorders can manage symptoms, stabilize emotions and improve daily life. Many people notice better energy, more balanced moods, and stronger coping skills with consistent treatment.
When should I seek help immediately?
If you or someone you know has thoughts of harming themselves, get help right away. You can call 911, go to the nearest emergency room, or contact a crisis hotline by calling or texting 988. Acting quickly can save lives.
Our locations
From regular office visits to inpatient stays, find the healthcare you need and deserve close to home.
Our doctors + care team
Meet the doctors and care team devoted to supporting you every step of the way along your path to better health.