Managing Mood Disorders: Effective Strategies From Psychiatrists

Mental health conditions that negatively impact an individual’s emotional state are known as mood disorder. Through various strategies, a psychiatrist can minimize this impact. While prescription medication is a common one, it is not the only one. In most cases, a psychiatrist will recommend a strategy that combines medication and psychotherapy.

Common mood disorders

There is more than one type of mood disorder, with the most common being major depressive disorder, also known as clinical depression. As per Johns Hopkins Medicine, this is marked by feelings of hopelessness, sadness, or disinterest that last for at least two consecutive weeks. When patients experience these symptoms to a lesser degree but for a longer period of time (at least two years), it is considered dysthymia.

Bipolar disorder is another common one, bringing mood swings that catapult a person from depressive symptoms, or episodes, to emotional highs. These emotional highs (known as mania or, when less severe, hypomania) cause feelings of euphoria, irritability, and high activity levels. The severity of the mood swings and their symptoms negatively impact a patient’s life, such as by making it hard to maintain relationships and hold a job.

Short-term treatment and long-term management

Although every mood disorder is different, a psychiatrist can help patients manage all types through proven strategies. They will typically develop a treatment plan that strives to get current symptoms under control and prevent symptom flare-ups from derailing one’s life when they occur down the road. The first goal is often achieved with the help of medication; psychotherapy can accomplish the second through coping methods and similar tools.

A closer look at strategies to manage mood disorders

Mood disorder treatment plans from a psychiatrist typically involve some or all of the following strategies.

Antidepressants

A psychiatrist may prescribe antidepressants for various types of mood disorders, from clinical depression to bipolar disorder. The most common are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, which can help stop the absorption of serotonin (a mood-boosting neurotransmitter) in the brain. Examples include citalopram, escitalopram, and sertraline.

Another variation is serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), which work in a similar fashion. As their name suggests, they also block the reabsorption of norepinephrine, improving energy. Duloxetine and desvenlafaxine are commonly prescribed SNRIs.

Mood stabilizers

A psychiatrist may prescribe mood stabilizers to patients who experience mood swings from bipolar disorder. They may combine them with antidepressants to help patients get through depressive episodes. Lithium is the most common, although there are other types of mood stabilizers to choose from.

Psychotherapy 

For mood disorders, a psychiatrist will likely recommend one of two therapeutic approaches along with medication: cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). CBT teaches patients how to unlearn negative thought patterns and replace them with helpful ones. Similarly, DBT teaches patients how to radically accept and successfully cope with challenging situations, manage heightened emotions, and ultimately improve behavioral patterns.

Consult a psychiatrist for help with a mood disorder

Psychiatrists can employ various strategies to help patients manage mood disorders. The above are simply the most common. For more information, schedule a consultation with a Columbia psychiatrist at Future Psych Solutions.

Request an appointment here: https://futurepsychsolutions.com or call Future Psych Solutions at (803) 335-5232 for an appointment in our Columbia office.

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