You’re irritable, your self-esteem isn’t what it used to be, and you’re having trouble sleeping. At first, you thought all this was caused by temporarily longer work hours, but overtime ended months ago. What’s going on? You could be experiencing the first signs of a mood disorder, but help is available.

What Causes Mood Disorders?

There could be numerous underlying issues for a mood disorder based on the specific kind you may be diagnosed with. Research has shown that biological, environmental, genetic, and other influences have been related to mood disorders.

Possible risk factors:

• Family or personal history of a mood disorder
• Experiencing trauma or stressors which led to depression
• Physical ailments, like cancer or diabetes, or using certain medicine
• Your brain structure and its function related to bipolar disorder

Does Ketamine Work?

Some evidence shows that ketamine may work to soothe the symptoms related to depression and other treatment-resistant mood disorders. It is known to provide fast, short-term relief, but its benefits may be extended through regular treatment. Ketamine originated as an anesthetic and is still used for that purpose in human and animal medicine. It’s thought to repair or strengthen damaged or weakened neurotransmitters, which are vital in memory, mood regulation, and other brain functions.

Do You Know What A Mood Disorder Is?

Most people experience sadness or irritability occasionally. You may tell someone you’re just in a bad mood because of a tough day at work. But mood disorders are different. They can harm your daily emotional state, sometimes resulting in depression and bipolar disorder. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about 10 percent of people aged 18 and older suffer from mood disorders.

Mood disorders can boost your chance of diabetes, heart disease, and other ailments. Treatments include ketamine, psychotherapy, or a combined therapy plan. But treatment allows most people with mood disorders to have productive lives.

What are the symptoms?

Many symptoms of mood disorders can be treated with ketamine or another doctor-recommended therapy, but you must know what they are first. Symptoms may include:

• Continual empty moods
• Feelings of helplessness
• Poor self-esteem
• Heightened sense of guilt
• Frequent thoughts of suicide
• Lack of interest in things you enjoyed before
• Relationship issues with family, friends, or co-workers
• Sleep and eating problems
• Low energy
• Problems concentrating or making decisions
• Headaches, stomachaches, or fatigue which don’t improve with treatment
• Highly sensitive to failure or rejection
• Irritability, hostility, or aggressiveness

Types of mood disorders to watch for:

• Major depressive disorder, featuring long and persistent episodes of great sadness
• Bipolar disorder, which is a kind of depression that includes rotating episodes of depression and mania
• Seasonal affective disorder is a kind of depression most noticeable when there are fewer hours of daylight in the day, especially in far northern and southern locations between late fall and early spring
• Cyclothymic disorder, which results in emotional highs and lows which are less extreme than with bipolar disorder
• Premenstrual dysphoric disorder, featuring irritability and mood changes which happen during a woman’s premenstrual cycle and subside with the start of menses
• Persistent depressive disorder, a chronic form of depression
• Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, which is characterized by chronic, severe and constant irritability in kids that’s often paired with repeated temper outbursts inconsistent with acceptable age-appropriate behavior
• You may also have depression related to a medical condition, such as a continual depressed mood and a big loss of pleasure in something that’s directly tied to the physical consequences of another medical ailment

Finally, you could experience symptoms of a mood disorder because of substance use or medicine, with symptoms coming on during or following substance use or withdrawal, or following exposure to a medicine.

Diagnosis & Treatment

Successfully treating depression or another kind of mood disorder is based on recognizing the symptoms, getting diagnosed, and following a treatment plan that works. Diagnosis is normally a 2-step approach:

• A physical examination to look for an underlying medical cause for the mood disorder. You may have to go through blood tests or other diagnostic procedures as part of the exam.
• A psychiatric assessment. This is where you’re asked about your behavior, feelings, and thoughts, and whether you have a personal or family history of mental illness. 

Once a diagnosis is confirmed, a doctor may recommend different treatments, like ketamine or psychotherapy.

Final Thoughts

If you experience symptoms of a mood disorder, you may benefit from one or more treatment options. Depending on the symptoms and your overall health, your doctor could recommend short-term or long-term therapy, like ketamine, designed to relieve symptoms and foster skills to allow you to lead a fulfilling life.