One of my discoveries over the past 15 years has been that diagnosing mood disorders is rarely straightforward. A wonderful nurse practitioner who worked with me for years finally figured out that my primary problem was mood-related impulse control, rather than the more common diagnosis of depression. She switched my medications accordingly, and it feels better. I'm more able to deal with stresses and "spinning, swirling" emotions without feeling "out of control." A career change has left me feeling happier and more hopeful after a great tragedy in my life, and I'm doing well, although certainly still sad sometimes.