DR. WALLACE: How do I get the right medical attention for my mood swings? There are times I feel great and that I can take on the world, yet there are other times that I just want to stay at home and hide under the covers of my bed.

I'm not sure if my swings are normal or not, but I don't say anything to my friends about them since I don't want them to look at me any differently going forward. I have a pretty good group of a few close friends and I don't want to do anything to disrupt the nice network I currently have in place.

Overall, my life is stable and good, but I just feel really odd when I go up or down much more than I normally do. — Feeling Odd at Times, via email

FEELING ODD AT TIMES: Our friends at Healthline have an excellent introductory compilation of information to help you get started addressing your own unique situation. First of all, they point out that "unexpected shifts in mood aren't always a sign of an underlying health condition or a side effect of medication or substance use." There could be other factors at play.

You might be able to manage occasional mood swings without medical attention, but it remains an option if you feel you might benefit from professional assistance. Your letter did not mention the frequency of your swings, so keep a log of how you feel along with the time, date and physical location you are experiencing a swing up or down.

If your swings are frequent rather than occasional, then I recommend you seek out a healthcare professional, especially if your symptoms are causing you distress or negatively affecting your life on a regular basis.

A healthcare professional can help you evaluate your own unique situation, especially to "evaluate what's working, what's not, and what you can change or add to your routine," reports Healthline.

As you start out on your own, be sure to address some basics right away such as getting enough sleep, eating a balanced diet and staying physically active via exercise, walking or stretching regularly to help your body get the motion it regularly craves. Take time to relax as often as you can and seek to maintain regular social contact with your friends and family. These suggestions can potentially help reduce your swings. Keep an eye on your situation, but do seek professional assistance at any point you feel it would be a good tool to try. You can start with your family doctor in order to get a few references to specific professionals you can speak with.

Good luck, and be as proactive as you can in minimizing stress and seeking assistance whenever you feel it could help you.

THERE'S NO WAY MY ONE VOTE WILL CHANGE ANYTHING!

DR. WALLACE: Some friends and I were talking about voting the other day, and it was interesting to hear the various opinions about voting. We were not talking about which party to vote for, or which candidate to vote for, but rather how much our votes mattered in the big picture.

Some of my friends felt it was very, very important to vote, and yet others felt it made no difference at all, so they didn't even bother registering to vote.

What's your opinion? Why should we take the time to vote if our one individual vote does not make any difference at all? — It's Not Worth My Time, via email

IT'S NOT WORTH MY TIME: Using that logic, nobody at all would ever take the time to vote and all elections would be tied at 0 to 0. However, we know the candidates and their families will vote, so a positive number is guaranteed.

Voting is an important part of a democracy and ensures that the population elects its leaders. Not every country has a democracy, and there are many here in America who feel that we should honor the privilege of living in a democracy by at least taking the time to vote, no matter our preference of candidates.

Some of the main reasons people don't vote include a lack of interest in all candidates and even the election in general, being sick or disabled or even just very busy when Election Day rolls around. Turnout matters as, even in the most lively of elections, roughly one-third of the American population that is eligible to vote does not participate.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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