Mood Disorders Treatment Specialist in Norwalk, CA

Treatment for mood disorders will depend on the disorder and the symptoms that are present. Therapy will usually involve multiple components, such as psychotherapy and medication. Therapy sessions will usually be conducted by a psychiatrist, psychologist, or other health care professional. 
 
Medication therapy is often used with certain drugs used to address certain problems. These can be antidepressants that can treat depression and depressive episodes. They are also used for bipolar disorders. Mood stabilizers help regulate mood swings that can happen with bipolar and other disorders and are sometimes offered with antidepressants. They reduce abnormal brain activity. Antipsychotics are another type of medication that can be offered for bipolar disorders, especially if the disorder has components of mania. 
 
Psychotherapy, aka talk therapy, is an important component. The most common types of talk therapy are cognitive behavioral therapy, problem-solving therapy, and interpersonal therapy. 
 
In some cases, brain stimulation therapies are used. These are thought to work by creating changes in the chemicals in the brain that are associated with symptoms of bipolar disorder and depression. These can be helpful when people are not able to take medications or when other forms of treatment seem to have little positive impact. 

The best mood stabilizer is going to be the one that works best for you. None of these are perfect, but getting to the point of being better is the objective. Different mood stabilizers will affect people differently. But there are four that are consistently considered to be quite good. 
 
Four mood stabilizers get a good deal of attention, lithium, quetiapine (Seroquel), lamotrigine (Lamictal), and lurasidone (Latuda). These are primarily used to treat bipolar disorders. Lithium and quetiapine lead the lists for treating mania, depression, and maintenance. Lamotrigine and lurasidone are not as good at treating mania but are important tools in treating bipolar depression. 

At times, life can be difficult, and we may encounter periods of sadness or anxiety. It can sometimes be difficult to understand whether what you are dealing with is situational or has become more complicated. 
 
Mood disorders will act a little differently than that occasional bout of feeling down. What you may experience will be that your mood is distorted or not consistent with what you are currently experiencing. These feelings may also interfere with your daily activities. You may feel extremely sad, irritable, or empty, which would indicate depression. Or, you may have periods of extreme happiness alternating with extreme sadness, which would indicate a type of mania. 
 
Anxiety disorders can impact your mood and frequently occur along with depression. Mood disorders can increase your risk of suicide.
 
If you think that you may have a mood disorder, don’t hesitate to call Sal Psychiatry Services. If you are not sure that you want treatment, talk to someone you trust, like a loved one, friend, or faith leader. If you have some or all of the following concerns, talk to a healthcare professional.
 
• If your feelings are interfering with your work, social activities, relationships, or other parts of life. 
• If you are having trouble with drugs or drinking. 
• If you are having thoughts of suicide or associated behaviors, get help immediately. 
 
Mood disorders don’t usually go away on their own and generally get worse over time. Seeking help sooner can prevent the disorder from becoming severe and is easier to treat early on. 

The most common types of mood disorders are bipolar disorder and depression. 
 
Depression is more common than many people realize. Sadness and grief are normal responses to difficult situations such as loss or trauma. When these feelings persist when difficult situations have passed, it may be diagnosed as depression. These symptoms need to be present for at least two weeks to be classified as depression. 
 
Bipolar disorder is identified by mood swings, from happy to sad and back. 
 
If you feel that you are having issues dealing with life in a healthy emotional way, Sal Psychiatry Services can help. We are here to help you deal with mood disorders and many other areas of concern that you may have. For more information, contact us today or book an appointment online. We are conveniently located at 13132 Studebaker Rd, Suite 10, Norwalk, CA 90650. We serve patients from Norwalk, CA, Artesia CA, Downey CA, Lakewood CA, Cudahy CA, Cypress CA, and surrounding areas.