Mood Disorders Treatment in London

Are your moods out of control? Do you feel like your moods don’t make sense? That you are too sad, too hyper? And is it affecting your life negatively? You might have a mood disorder. 

What is a mood affective disorder? 

We all have mood swings now and then. A new job leaves us elated, or the loss of a loved one leaves us low for several weeks. These are normal reactions, given the circumstances.  

A mood disorder, or ‘mood affective disorder’, means your emotions don’t match your circumstances. And you can’t control how you feel, even when it’s making your life increasingly difficult, or even giving you suicidal thoughts. 

What are the different kinds of mood disorders?

There is a long list of diagnoses that fit under the umbrella term of mood disorders. But the main categories are depressive, manic, or bipolar disorders. Or you can have a substance-related mood disorder.

Depressive disorders

Feeling low, tired, and uninterested in life? With very negative thoughts about yourself and the world? It can be a sign of a depressive disorder, including mild to severe depression, post-natal depression, and seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Manic disorders

Manic moods are the opposite of depressive ones. They leave us full of a buzzy, ‘high' energy. We can’t feel settled or grounded, and make rash decisions. Or our mania even leaves us with psychotic thinking, where we suddenly believe we have special powers, or understand things others don’t.

Bipolar disorders 

Bipolar disorders mean that sometimes you have depressive lows, but other times you have mania.

Substance-related mood disorders 

These can result from either taking or withdrawing from medication or drugs, or from alcohol overuse. 

Why do I have a problem with my moods? 

Like most mental health issues, it’s thought to be a mix of genetics and environments. So you might be born with, say, neurotic personality traits, and a difficult childhood 'triggers' this potential. 

There is also recent evidence that DNA can come into play. A high ratio of neanderthal DNA, for example, is connected to a greater chance of depression [1].

What treatment is recommended? 

Medication is recommended if you are experiencing mania, where you can put yourself in dangerous situations because of rash decision making, or if your depression is debilitating.

Otherwise, for both depression and bipolar depression, talk therapy is recommended.  The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends :

• cognitive behavioural therapy
• interpersonal therapy
• behavioural couples therapy.  

For depression only, they further recommend: 

• counselling
• short-term psychodynamic therapy.

You can also try another type of psychotherapy that interests you. All forms of talk therapy are designed to help you feel better about yourself and your life. 

Talk therapy for your moods - The Harley Therapy™ approach

At Harley Therapy we don't see you as a diagnosis, but as an individual. Our team of highly experienced and rated psychiatrists, psychotherapists, and counselling psychologists work to find a bespoke treatment plan that works for you.

Control your moods and feel yourself again

Call us now or complete our online booking form to make an appointment with one of our counselling psychologists and psychotherapists in the City of London, London Bridge, or at our head office on Harley Street.

Footnotes

[1]. Simonti CN, Vernot B, Bastarache L, et al. The phenotypic legacy of admixture between modern humans and Neandertals. Science. 2016;351(6274):737-741. doi:10.1126/science.aad2149.

Talk therapy can help with:

• mild depression
• severe depression
• post-natal depression (PND)
• seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
• bipolar disorder
• psychotic thinking 
• substance-related depression.