Depression and Mood Disorders
Mood Disorders​
​
A mood disorder is a general term that refers to different types of mental health challenges that severely impact mood and its related functioning. If you have symptoms of a mood disorder, you may notice that your moods range from being very high (manic) to very low (depressed).
Book a Free meet and greet to learn more
Types of Mood Disorders
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), published in 2013, mood disorders are separated into two groups: bipolar and related disorders, and depressive disorders. Some types of mood disorders are:
​
-
Major depressive disorder (MDD): This primarily consists of periods of extreme sadness, hopelessness, or emptiness, with a variety of physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms.
​
-
Bipolar I disorder: This is when a person experiences symptoms of depression alternating with symptoms of mania and elevated mood. Mania is characterized by euphoric and/or irritable moods, and increased energy, and risk-taking.
​
-
Bipolar II disorder: This is when a person alternates between periods of depression and periods of hypomania, which is a less severe form of mania.
​
-
Dysthymia: This is a chronic, and low-grade form of depression and irritability that lasts for at least 2 years.
​
-
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): This consists of recurring episodes of major depressive disorder during the same season each year (e.g., winter, summer). SAD may be related to changes in the amount of daylight a person receives.
​
-
Bipolar and related disorder due to another medical condition: This is when a direct physiological result of a medical condition leads to the development of symptoms of bipolar disorder.
​
-
Depressive disorder due to another medical condition: This is when an underlying medical condition leads to the development of symptoms of depression.
Symptoms of Mood Disorders
There are various types of mood disorders, which means they can impact a person’s functioning and quality of life in different ways. In general, symptoms may include:
​
-
Loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed
-
Eating challenges (e.g., eating more or less than usual)
-
Sleep problems (e.g., sleep too little or too much)
-
Fatigue
-
Crying
-
Anxiety
-
Feeling “empty”
-
Feeling isolated, sad, hopeless, worthless, guilt, irritability
-
Concentration difficulty
-
Decision-making challenges Problems making decisions
-
Thoughts of ending one’s life
Treatments
Mood Disorders often improve well with treatment that combines Naturopathic Medicine and Psychotherapy.
At Greystones Health, we take an integrated, whole-person approach that goes beyond talk therapy alone. By combining the powerful insights of Psychotherapy with the personalized care of Naturopathic Medicine, we support your healing on every level—mental, emotional, and physical.
​
While psychotherapy helps you process thoughts, emotions, and past experiences, our naturopathic lens explores the biological root causes that may be impacting your emotional well-being. We assess for:
​
-
Chronic inflammation
-
Food intolerances and gut-brain imbalances
-
Blood sugar irregularities (even those missed by standard labs)
-
Hormonal imbalances (testosterone, estrogen, progesterone)
-
Stress hormone dysregulation (like elevated or depleted cortisol)
We also offer natural support for neurotransmitter balance—such as serotonin and GABA—to help calm the nervous system and create a stronger foundation for emotional resilience and therapeutic progress.
​
This mind-body synergy has helped many of our clients not only feel better emotionally, but also experience improvements in energy, mood, sleep, digestion, and stress tolerance. As we restore balance to the body, clients often find it easier to build and maintain healthy habits like regular exercise, nourishing meals, and meaningful routines.
​
Whether you’re working through trauma, burnout, anxiety, or depression, this integrated path to healing can help you feel more like yourself again—from the inside out.