What is a mood tracker and why is it used? by Robyn Tamanaha, LMFT

In this video I explain what a mood tracker is, what it includes, and why it is used.

You don’t have to do this alone. If you are interested in receiving therapy with me, let’s schedule a free 15-minute phone consult.

My office is located in Irvine, which is near Newport Beach, Orange, Fountain Valley, Costa Mesa, Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills, Tustin, Seal Beach, and beyond. I work with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and Asian American & Pacific Islanders.

Disclaimer: This information is being provided to you for educational and informational purposes only. The topics being discussed are meant as a self-help tool for you own use. It is not psychotherapy or counseling. This information is to be used based on your own judgment. If you need to speak with a professional, you should find one local to you and contact them directly.

Video Transcript:

What is a mood tracker?

This is a technique where a person will record/track their mood daily in order to help identify patterns. I take mood tracking a step further by incorporating a person’s experiences and daily routine when working with individuals living with bipolar disorder. There are many mood tracking apps; however, I recommend the DBSA Tracker because it is the most thorough.

I recommend that mood trackers be used when also receiving therapy in order to get the full benefit of this technique.

What does it include?
• The emotion a person felt such as sad, angry, happy, meh, numb, hopeless, anxious, low motivation, guilt, irritable, low self-esteem, along with behaviors such as withdrawing from friends, making quick decisions, difficulty making decisions, taking risks, quickly completing many tasks, speaking very fast, restless, staying up late at night, etc
• The emotions and behaviors are rated on a scale from 0-4, with 0 being this emotion/behavior was not experienced or it didn’t impact their day to 4 being this emotion/behavior was as severe as it could have been or it changed how a person went about their day or prevented a person from doing what they had intended to do that day
• Experiences and lifestyle such as conflict, stressors, sleep patterns, eating patterns, achievements, exercise, alcohol/drug use, menstrual cycle, significant life event or change, taking prescribed medication, etc

Why do we use it?
• Helps to identify experiences or events that may have increased symptoms or lead to an episode
• Helps to see at what point, and for how long, a persons mood goes up or down
• Helps therapists to diagnose correctly
• Helps create a game plan for managing symptoms, daily routine, and overall lifestyle
• Helps individuals learn about their own routine and its connection to their mood states.

**IF THIS IS AN EMERGENCY, PLEASE CALL YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY NUMBER OR GO TO YOUR NEAREST EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT. **