Depression & Mood Disorders

Counseling for Depression & Mood Disorders

Do you struggle with mood swings that can make or break your day?
Are you struggling to find the motivation to get out of bed each day?
Have sadness, negative thoughts & feeling worthless become frequent visitors in your life?

Depression has many different faces and it can manifest and show in many different ways for different people. Often people think of the extremes of feeling sad and not wanting to get out of bed. While this may be true for many, in others it can feel more like irritability, anger, wanting to isolate yourself from others, emotionality, wanting to sleep a lot, any many others. There are also other mood disorders such as Bipolar Disorder that involves extremes of emotions and emotional lability and what are called manic or hypomanic symptoms. If you have a diagnosis already that you are struggling with or If you are wondering if something is wrong, it never hurts to talk to a professional to evaluate what might be going on. We believe in the importance of prevention and early intervention.

People often feel sad about events that occur in life. Sadness itself is not necessarily depression, but if you are having trouble dealing with those life events (we often call this an adjustment disorder) and feel like you are not moving through the sadness it often helps to talk to someone about it and make sure that it does not develop into something more serious over time.

Symptoms of Depression

Maybe you hide your depression well. Everyone sees you as the life of the party and thinks you have your life together. But they have no idea how much pain you are in. Or maybe your depression is so all encompassing that you can’t even function. Maybe you frequently miss work, school or social events because you just can’t find the motivation.

The truth is that depression looks a little bit different in everyone. Why? Because we know everyone is an individual. That said, there are some similarities and below is a list of common symptoms of depression:

• Feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness
• Negative self talk
• A sense of isolation
• Depressed mood, or just feeling down
• Changes in appetite or weight
• Less interest or pleasure in activities you’ve always enjoyed
• Loss of energy
• Fatigue
• Moving and/or thinking more slowly than usual
• Difficulty concentrating
• Thoughts of death or suicide

Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is another mood disorder. When someone has bipolar disorder, they may experience dramatic changes in mood and energy levels. When someone has bipolar disorder, their mood can range from elation/euphoria to what appears like any other person’s mood all the way to a very deep depression. Bipolar can also impact a person’s sleeping, thinking and behaviors. The extremes of mood are known as manic episodes and depressive episodes.

​A depressed episode may look very similar to unilateral episodes of depression, so the symptoms above still apply. Mania on the other hand looks very different.

Signs of Mania

• Excessive energy
• Difficulty sleeping
• Appearing to function really well on very little sleep
• Feel able to do and achieve anything
• Rapid speech that jumps between topics and ideas
• Feeling agitated, jumpy, or “wired”
• Risky behaviors, such as reckless sex, spending a lot of money, dangerous driving, or drug use
• Believing that they are more important than others or have important connections
• Anger or aggression if others challenge their views or behavior
• Lack of insight into the change in their behavior

There are different levels of severity and types of bipolar disorder, but it’s important to know that spotting the signs of bipolar disorder can help a person to get treatment. Just like with most other mental health conditions, a person with bipolar disorder can live a very normal, fulfilling life, but early treatment (usually medication management and counseling) is important. ​

Therapy Can Help

You don’t have to live stuck in a pattern of negative thinking. Your mood doesn’t have to determine what kind of day you have. It is possible to regain control of your life, find balance and move toward the most important goals you’ve set for yourself. The good news is that counseling is very effective in helping resolve depression and other mood disorders.

The Wellness Psychological Services Approach to Therapy for Mood Disorders

When working with clients experiencing depression, bipolar disorder or another mood related conditions, our therapists will take an individualized approach and get to know you personally. They will recommend a treatment plan that will help you work through and stabilize your emotions. Our clinical psychologists often use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and mindfulness techniques as well as skills coaching. During counseling sessions, your therapist will guide you as you explore not only the causes of your extreme emotions, but also what is standing in the way of you resolving those negative feelings. Depression treatment will likely include taking a close look at your values and what’s important in your life. Mood disorder treatment then includes examining patterns of negative self talk and searching for the underlying core beliefs that keep you “stuck” in a negative frame of mind. You’ll learn practical ways to reengage in life and begin to meet your personal goals. Counseling will help you regain your confidence as you learn new ways to manage stress and new ways to think about the world that will help keep life from getting you down. The end goal is to learn the skills that allow you to think about the future in a hopeful way and experience positive emotions. This skills-based approach is effective not only for resolving a period of depression, but also to prepare one to prevent future depressive episodes.

If you or someone you care about is experiencing depression or mood disorders, contact Wellness Psychological Services today. One of our clinical psychologists at our Tampa Bay counseling clinic will call you back personally. We offer a free phone consultation to help you determine which therapist is the right therapist to help you regain control of your mood & life. Our team of doctoral level psychologists specialize in treating various forms of depression and mood disorders and are available to do phone consults to discuss your needs and a tailored treatment plan.

Learn More About Our Mood & Depression Therapists
See Dr. Lord’s page for more on his specific approach to treatment
See Dr. Arroyo’s page for more on her specific approach to treatment
See Dr. Daughn’s page for more on her specific approach to treatment ​