Treatment of Mood Disorders

DEPRESSION

We all go through ups and downs in our mood. Sadness is a normal reaction to life’s struggles, setbacks, and disappointments. We’re down in the dumps for a short time, then gradually the painful feelings dissipate and we move on with our lives—often the wiser for the experience. But when the low mood persists, interfering with your ability to work, study, eat, sleep, and have fun, it’s no longer normal. It’s depression.

There’s a vast difference between “feeling depressed” and suffering from clinical depression. The despondency of clinical depression is unrelenting and overwhelming. Some people describe it as “living in a black hole” or having a feeling of impending doom. They can’t escape their unhappiness and despair. However, some people with depression don’t feel sad at all. Instead, they feel lifeless and empty. In this apathetic state, they are unable to experience pleasure. Even when participating in activities they used to enjoy, they feel as if they’re just going through the motions. The signs and symptoms vary from person to person, and they may wax and wane in severity over time.

BIPOLAR DISORDER

We all have our ups and downs, our “off” days and our “on” days, but if you’re suffering from Bipolar Disorder, these peaks and valleys are more severe and the cycles last for days, weeks, or months. The extreme highs and lows of Bipolar Disorder can disrupt daily activities and damage relationships. And although it’s treatable, many people don’t recognize the warning signs and get the help they need. Since bipolar disorder tends to worsen without treatment, it’s important to learn what the symptoms look like. Recognizing the problem is the first step to getting it under control.

Bipolar Disorder is more common than many think affecting nearly 3 out of every 100 adults in the U.S according to the National Institutes of Mental Health. Its causes aren’t completely understood, but bipolar disorder often runs in families. The first manic or depressive episode of Bipolar Disorder usually occurs in the teenage years or early adulthood.

Bipolar Disorder involves periods of elevated mood, or mania. Usually—but not always—the disorder also involves periods of depression. In a typical case, a person with Bipolar Disorder cycles between these two extremes—experiencing recurrent episodes of both elevated and depressed mood, often with symptom-free stretches in between. During a manic episode, a person might impulsively quit a job, charge up huge amounts of debt, or feel rested after sleeping two hours. During a depressive episode, the same person might be too tired to get out of bed and full of self-loathing and hopelessness over his or her unemployment status and credit card bills. Unlike ordinary mood swings, bipolar disorder is much more intense and disruptive to everyday functioning, affecting energy, activity levels, judgment, and behavior.

STRESS

We all face different challenges and obstacles, and sometimes the pressure is hard to handle. When we feel overwhelmed, under the gun, or unsure how to meet the demands placed on us, we experience stress. In small doses, stress can be a good thing. It can give you the push you need, motivating you to do your best and to stay focused and alert. Stress is what keeps you on your toes during a presentation at work or drives you to study for your midterm when you’d rather be watching TV. But when the going gets too tough and life’s demands exceed your ability to cope, stress becomes a threat to both your physical and emotional well-being.

Stress is a psychological and physiological response to events that upset our personal balance in some way. When faced with a threat, whether to our physical safety or emotional equilibrium, the body’s defenses kick into high gear in a rapid, automatic process known as the “fight-or-flight” response. We all know what this stress response feels like: heart pounding in the chest, muscles tensing up, breath coming faster, every sense on red alert.

The biological stress response is meant to protect and support us. It’s what helped our stone age ancestors survive the life-or-death situations they commonly faced. But in the modern world, most of the stress we feel is in response to psychological rather than physical threats. Caring for a chronically-ill child or getting audited by the IRS qualify as stressful situations, but neither calls for either fight or flight. Unfortunately, our bodies don’t make this distinction. Whether we’re stressed over a looming deadline, an argument with a friend, or a mountain of bills, the warning bells ring. And just like a caveman confronting a sabertooth tiger, we go into automatic overdrive.

If you have a lot of responsibilities and worries, you may be running on stress a good portion of the time—launching into emergency mode with every traffic jam, phone call from the in-laws, or segment of the evening news. But the problem with the stress response is that the more it’s activated, the harder it is to shut off. Instead of leveling off once the crisis has passed, your stress hormones, heart rate, and blood pressure remain elevated.

Furthermore, extended or repeated activation of the stress response takes a heavy toll on the body. Prolonged exposure to stress increases your risk of everything from heart disease, obesity, and infection to anxiety, depression, and memory problems. Because of the widespread damage it can cause, it’s essential to learn how to deal with stress in a more positive way and reduce its impact on your daily life.

POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION & THE BABY BLUES

Weepiness and mood swings are so common in new moms that this emotional rollercoaster has its own name – the baby blues. These feelings are perfectly normal and usually dissipate after a few weeks.

Postpartum depression, on the other hand, is a more serious condition that can interfere with your ability to take care of yourself and your newborn child. But with treatment, the support of your family, and attention to your own needs, you can get back on the road to healthy and happy motherhood. In the beginning, postpartum depression can look like the normal baby blues. In fact, they share many symptoms, including mood swings, crying jags, sadness, insomnia, and irritability. However, in postpartum depression, these symptoms are either longer lasting or more severe. Anxiety is also more prominent in postpartum depression. If you have postpartum depression, you may worry to excess over your baby’s health and well-being. In addition to obsessing over the safety of your newborn, you may be troubled by intrusive thoughts about harming your baby.