Mood Disorders Specialist

What is a mood disorder?

A mood disorder involves a general emotional mood or state that’s distorted or inconsistent with your circumstances. This mood or state interferes with your daily activities and your ability to function.

You might feel extremely empty or irritable, sad, or have periods of being excessively happy and euphoric, known as mania, alternating with depressive periods.

Children, adolescents, and adults can develop mood disorders. Children don’t have always have the same symptoms as adults and it’s usually more difficult to diagnose mood disorders in children since they aren’t always able to express their feelings.

What causes mood disorders?

Multiple factors contribute to mood disorders, including life events and stressful life changes, family history and genetics, and an imbalance of chemicals in the brain.

What are the different types of mood disorders?

There are many types of mood disorders, including:

• Major depressive disorder: persistent and prolonged periods of extreme sadness and hopelessness
• Bipolar disorder: alternating times of mania and depression
• Cyclothymia: emotional ups and downs that are less extreme than bipolar disorder
• Seasonal affective disorder (SAD): a type of depression that typically occurs from late fall to early spring when there are fewer hours of daylight in the far northern and southern latitudes
• Depression induced by medications or substance abuse or depression related to a medical illness

Other mood disorders include postpartum depression, disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, substance-induced mood disorder, premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), and persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia).

When should I visit a specialist about my mood disorder?

You should visit Dr. Buffington about your mood disorder if you:

• Feel like your emotions and resulting behaviors are getting in the way of your relationships, work, social activities, or other areas of your life
• Use unhealthy coping mechanisms to manage your mood
• Have extremely negative thoughts

If you have suicidal behaviors or thoughts, seek emergency treatment as soon as you can.

What are the treatments for mood disorders?

Mood disorders don’t typically go away on their own. Dr. Buffington works with you to treat your mood disorder using a personalized treatment plan to help you feel more in control of your mood fluctuations, while also providing you with ways of health coping.

In addition to psychotherapy, medications like mood stabilizers and antidepressants are also effective in the treatment of mood disorders. As such, Dr. Ryan Buffington works collaboratively to provide psychiatric services as needed.

If a mood disorder is a lingering problem in your life, call Buffington Family Medicine to schedule an appointment.