Managing Moods for Teens

This workbook is designed to use with clients who have been diagnosed with or may be showing signs of:

• Bipolar Disorder (old Manic-Depressive Disorder)
• Major Depressive Disorder
• Mood Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified
• Persist Depressive Disorder/Dysthymia
• Disruptive Mood & Dysregulation Disorder

In this workbook, we've used "moods" and "moodiness" as umbrella terms to describe mental health issues related to these diagnoses.

Teen years can be extremely difficult, even in the best of circumstances. During these years, emotions can be intense, and mood changes occur rapidly. Some of these feelings will be positive. On the other hand, some may also be negative and bring forth feelings of sadness, restlessness, and irritability. It is usual to feel these challenging feelings now and then, but when these moody feelings last for weeks, months, or even years, it is a sign of a more serious mood issue. When teens find themselves taking little joy in activities they have previously enjoyed, appearing increasingly more irritable, and feeling fatigue and a general loss of energy, they may be experiencing symptoms of more serious problems that require assessment and treatment by a medical professional.

To help teens successfully deal with moodiness, it is extremely helpful for facilitators to have a variety of appealing, user-friendly assessments and activities to help teens "open-up" and begin to feel as if their moods are less intense and more balanced, and that they are not alone. The Managing Moods Workbook for Teens provides assessments and self-guided activities to help teens reduce the intensity of moodiness and begin living more effective and fulfilling lives.

The five chapters include:

How Moody Are You?
This section will help teens identify the depth of their moodiness and identify ways to decrease the intensity of this moodiness.

Effects of Moodiness
This section will help teens identify how moodiness affects their health, relationships, work, and social activities.

Mood Triggers
This section will help teens identify how they experience moodiness in their lives through feelings, thoughts, and behaviors.

Roller Coaster Moods
This section will help teens identify the effects of mood instabilities in their lives.

Erasing the Stigma of Moodiness

This section will help teens explore the stigma of moodiness in their lives and the impact that the stigma has on them.

This workbook is also available in PDF eBook format, making it simple to store on your computer or mobile device and to access with a PDF viewer. The PDF format allows you to easily print copies of the activities and worksheets during therapy and counseling sessions.