According to the National Institutes of Health, an estimated 14.3% of adolescents have mood disorders, and 11.2% of them suffer severe impairment from mood disorders. Mood disorder treatment for teens is complex, but it is the best way to get them the help they need.

At Foothills at Red Oak Recovery, we offer treatment programs for teenage boys with mood disorders. Call 866.300.5275 today for help.

What Is a Mood Disorder?

A mood disorder is a type of mental health condition that primarily affects your emotional state. Mood disorders in teens can lead them to experience periods of extreme sadness, happiness, or both. There are also some mood disorders that involve other persistent emotions, including irritability and anger.

There are many types of mood disorders in teens, including:

• Depression and its subtypes
• Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder
• Bipolar disorder and its subtypes
• Substance-induced mood disorder

According to the National Institutes of Health, some of the most common signs that your teenage boy may have a mood disorder are:

• Constant irritability and anger
• Poor school performance
• Trouble with authority
• Persistent feelings of loneliness, sadness
• Changes in sleep patterns
• Changes in eating patterns
• Feelings of guilt or shame
• Loss of interest in favorite activities
• Problems concentrating
• Aches and pains
• Hypersensitivity to rejection or criticism

Teenagers with first-degree relatives with mood disorders are more likely to suffer from a mood disorder, as are those who have experienced trauma. Teenagers with substance use disorders are also more likely to have a co-occurring mood disorder.

Teen Mood Disorder Treatment 

There are important treatment options for mood disorders in teens that can help them stabilize and learn how to manage everyday life.

Individual Therapy

One of the most effective teen mood disorder treatment options is individual treatment. Therapy sessions will work to understand the challenges the teenager faces, incorporating behavioral therapy strategies to help them understand how their negative thoughts can impact their feelings and behaviors.

Group Therapy

Teenagers, especially adolescent boys, don’t always know how to interact in a healthy manner with others. Group therapy can help them understand the motivations of others and put the communication skills they learn in individual therapy into practice.

Family Therapy 

A mood disorder treatment program for teens also offers family therapy sessions. These sessions can help you and your teen learn how to communicate with one another again. Because parent support is crucial for teens with mood disorders, these therapy sessions can offer the help you both need.

Equine Therapy

Horses are particularly well-suited to working with teenagers with mood disorders. These animals can pick up on emotions, allowing teenage boys to see how their moods can affect others.

During equine therapy, your child can learn how to live in the moment and stabilize their emotions.

Holistic Therapies

Holistic therapies can help your teenage boy focus on how their nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress can affect their moods and behaviors. Adventure therapy can help with confidence-building, offering your child the chance to learn to enjoy himself once more.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

For adolescent boys who have a substance use disorder and a mood disorder, getting help for both can make a huge difference. Co-occurring disorders can impact one another, making recovery more difficult if not tackled simultaneously. With individual therapy sessions and group therapy, a dual-diagnosis treatment can be effective.

Turn to Foothills at Red Oak Recovery

If your teenage boy has a mood disorder, with or without a substance use disorder, turn to us at Foothills at Red Oak Recovery. Our mood disorder treatment program options can help your child find their way back to a healthier and happier life. Call Foothills at Red Oak Recovery today at 866.300.5275 to learn more.