How Do Mood Disorders Impact Your Life?

While every mood disorder is different, they all tend to have a similar impact on a person's life. These disorders can cause rifts in their personal life, trouble in their career, and lower their self-esteem. A psychiatrist can assist patients in managing their symptoms and reducing these negative effects. However, it is important to be aware of these effects so you can reach out for help if you begin to notice and be affected by them.

The emotional impact of mood disorders

These mental disorders get their name from how they negatively impact a patient's emotional state. Per the Mayo Clinic, psychiatrists categorize mood disorders as either depressive or bipolar depending on what the impact of the disorder looks like.

Depressive disorders

As the name suggests, depressive disorders cause a patient to feel down, hopeless, or disinterested in life. When these symptoms last for at least two weeks in a row, it is considered major depressive disorder (MDD) or clinical depression. There is also seasonal depression, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which is when individuals only experience these symptoms during a particular season during specific times of the year (usually winter or summer), often in areas where there is less sunlight or daylight. Other examples include long-term depression (persistent depressive disorder) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

Bipolar disorders

Bipolar disorders can bring on depressive symptoms, as well. However, the main feature of bipolar disorders is mood swings, which cause a patient to cycle between extremely low moods (depressive episodes) and high moods (manic episodes). With bipolar I disorder, the patient experiences manic episodes that last at least a week, during which they may make reckless decisions and engage in other risky behavior. In contrast, patients with bipolar II experience depressive episodes and less severe manic episodes, known as hypomania.

Other ways a mood disorder may impact life

Although depressive and bipolar disorders negatively affect one's emotional state by plunging them into a depressive or manic state, the emotions themselves are not the only symptom. Mood disorders have a ripple effect, causing issues in various aspects of life. A psychiatrist can help manage this effect and improve the patient's quality of life. Here are some of the most common mood disorder struggles a psychiatrist may help with:

Trouble focusing

Whether the patient is feeling low or extremely high, that intense emotional state can make it hard to focus on tasks. With depressive symptoms, this typically means having trouble starting tasks. The patient may put off work, homework, or social activities because they feel they cannot focus or follow a conversation. 

In the same vein, manic episodes cause issues with finishing tasks. This high emotional state may give patients a lot of motivation, ideas, and energy, but it tends to cause them to jump from project to project without finishing anything. Distractibility, irritability, and racing thoughts are all hallmark symptoms of a manic episode.

Feeling "stuck in a rut"

It is also common to feel as though one is stuck in a rut with a mood disorder, as it affects motivation. This feeling often goes hand in hand with trouble focusing. After all, when a person has difficulty staying motivated and concentrating on tasks, it makes it hard to achieve their goals. Patients may struggle to land a job they enjoy or hold one down. 

Relationship problems

The highs or lows of a mood disorder can make it hard to maintain healthy relationships and connections with others. It is easy to allow one's social life to fall to the wayside due to depressive symptoms. Likewise, the impulsivity of a manic episode may result in arguments and broken promises that create rifts in a relationship.

Isolation 

Due to all of the above, it is common for mood disorders to periodically or eventually result in isolation from others. Patients often find that they have neglected their friendships or family relationships due to depression or that repeated manic episodes have caused seemingly irreparable damage to them. The good news is that no one has to remain isolated because of a mood disorder. A psychiatrist can help patients manage symptoms, make new connections, and attempt to repair old, broken ones where possible.

Mood disorder treatments

It is never too late to get help for a mood disorder; it is also never too early. The sooner a patient seeks treatment from a psychiatrist, the better they can prevent a mental disorder from causing issues in their life. A psychiatrist can diagnose the disorder and provide treatments such as psychotherapy and prescription medication. These treatments may even be combined: medication to reduce one's symptoms and therapy to teach long-term coping skills.

Take back control of your life

It is possible to live a happy, fulfilling life with any type of mood disorder. If you or your loved one has been struggling with any of the mentioned symptoms, contact our {{CITY}] office for an appointment. We will work with you to provide much-needed relief and help you get back to enjoying the everyday joys of life.

Request an appointment here: https://mb.futurepsychsolutions.com or call Future Psych Ketamine Clinics at (843) 788-9718 for an appointment in our Myrtle Beach office.

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