Mood Disorders

Mood disorders refer to several of the most serious and debilitating mental health disorders, including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and psychosis. These conditions need early and intensive treatment at HumuHealth Psychiatry: Olukemi Kuku, DNP, PMHNP. As an experienced mental health provider, Dr. Kuku provides medication management and tailored therapy. She also serves as your advocate for finding community resources. To schedule an in-person or telepsychiatry appointment, call the office in Fairfield or Pleasant Hill, California, or book one online today.

What are mood disorders?

Mood disorders include a group of mental health conditions that cause changes in your emotions, energy, temperament, and behavior. When you have a low mood, your energy drops, you have a dark outlook on life, and you withdraw from activities. By comparison, a high mood raises your energy, makes you excessively active, and gives you a positive attitude.

What are the different types of mood disorders?

The primary mood disorders are depression and bipolar disorder:

Depression

Depressive disorders include major depressive disorder, disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. They all cause sadness, hopelessness, fatigue, and loss of interest in life, to name a few symptoms.

Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder causes mood swings between mania (racing thoughts, rapid talking, little need for sleep, constantly active) and depression. There are several types of bipolar disorder, ranging from bipolar I disorder with severe mania that often needs hospitalization to cyclothymic disorder. Cyclothymic disorder causes mild manic and depressive symptoms, but you have more frequent mood swings.

How are schizophrenia and psychosis associated with mood swings?

Schizophrenia and psychosis aren’t classified as mood disorders, but they can cause sudden, extreme mood swings. People may be blissfully happy one moment, suddenly become angry, and then swing down to depression, all for no obvious reason.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that causes psychosis. During a psychotic episode, you have chaotic, disturbing thoughts, and you can’t tell what’s real. As a result, you break from reality.

During psychotic episodes, you also have delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thoughts, and muddled speech. For example, you may say nonsense words that don’t make sense, suddenly stop talking, or rapidly jump from one topic to another unrelated topic.

Psychosis

Though psychosis is the primary symptom of schizophrenia, you can have a psychotic break due to other medical and psychiatric conditions, including bipolar disorder, major depression, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Schizoaffective disorder

Schizoaffective disorder is a condition that causes psychosis (schizophrenia) together with a mood disorder (mania and depression).  

How are mood disorders treated?

Mood disorders — especially bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and psychosis — need medication to stabilize your mood and stop psychotic episodes. The team at HumuHealth Psychiatry: Olukemi Kuku, DNP, PMHNP, combines medication with therapy. Therapy supports your ongoing mental health by teaching the skills you need to manage life.

Getting early treatment helps you get the best long-term results from your treatment. To schedule an appointment at HumuHealth Psychiatry: Olukemi Kuku, DNP, PMHNP, call or book one online today.