Mood Swings Treatment

We all go through different moods in response to daily events, and sometimes, these feelings can be very strong. For some people, these mood changes can be so extreme that it affects their overall quality of life.

Feeling a range of emotions is usually a normal reaction to what happens around us. While people may not always recognize their mood or find the right words to express it, it’s uncommon to feel completely emotionless. Your mood can change based on your situation, and in turn, your mood can affect your thoughts and actions.

Living with severe mood swings can be challenging for both you and those close to you. At PROMIS, we can help you understand if your mood swings are linked to a more serious mental health issue. We provide various therapies to tackle the root causes of mood swings and assist you in managing them better.

What are Mood Swings?

Mood swings are quick changes in how a person feels, shifting from happiness to sadness or fear. While they can be normal, they might signal a health issue if they happen too often and disrupt daily activities. Certain events can trigger these mood swings, but they can also happen for no clear reason.

Mood swings can be signs of mental health disorders like bipolar disorder or borderline personality disorder, as well as medical issues such as dementia, neurological disorders, and brain tumours. In addition, side effects from medications and hormonal changes can also lead to mood swings.

How Mood Swings Affect Health

Mood swings can occur in anyone and aren’t always harmful to health or mental well-being. However, if they happen often or intensely, they can impact both your body and mind. Frequent or intense mood swings may cause several health problems, including heightened anxiety, sleep disturbances like insomnia or excessive sleeping, a weakened immune system, higher blood pressure, digestive troubles, body aches, and muscle tension.

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Common Causes Of Mood Swings?

Each day, we experience different emotions that can affect how we feel overall. Many biological, psychological, and environmental factors can lead to changes in our mood, which include:

Brain Chemistry

Mood swings usually arise from imbalances in brain chemicals. Key neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine are essential for mood control. When these chemicals are out of balance, it can cause emotional ups and downs. For example, low serotonin levels are often linked to depression, while dopamine is associated with bipolar disorder.

Hormones

Hormone levels play a crucial role in mood fluctuations. Oestrogen and testosterone, in particular, affect neurotransmitter levels and overall emotional state. Variations in these hormones can lead to mood disturbances, which are commonly observed during puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause, as well as in certain health issues like thyroid disorders.

Psychological Factors

Various psychological factors like stress, unresolved emotions, and past traumas can cause mood swings. When stress levels are high, it can lead to feelings of anxiety and depression, which often show up as changes in mood. In addition, unresolved issues from the past, such as traumatic experiences, can lead to emotional ups and downs during therapy or stressful situations.

Personality Traits

Personality traits can affect how a person deals with emotional stress, which can lead to mood swings. For instance, people with borderline personality disorder may have strong and frequent mood changes in their everyday lives because of their views and reactions to their surroundings and relationships.

Lack Of Sleep

People who lack sufficient sleep often experience negative feelings like frustration, anger, sadness, and irritability, which can trigger mood swings. Typically, not getting enough sleep can indicate mood disorders such as anxiety and depression.

Medications

Mood shifts may arise from certain types or combinations of medication. While some are prescribed to treat intense mood swings and clinical depression, like antidepressants or mood stabilisers, there are instances where other types of medication can affect the mood to change. Sometimes, people self-medicate or use other substances like anabolic steroids that can contribute to sudden mood swings.

Mental Health Conditions

Depression, anxiety, bipolar, and borderline personality disorders are commonly recognised mental health problems that have tendencies to manifest intense moods.

Signs and Symptoms of Mood Disorders

Persistent mood swings can be an early sign of a potential mental health condition, particularly a mood disorder. Some of the most common signs and symptoms may include emotional instability, rapid mood changes, intense irritability, elevated mood or euphoria, depressive mood, and changes in energy levels.

Types of Mood Disorders

A mood disorder is a mental health condition where a person’s feelings do not match their real-life situation. This can make it hard for someone to function well and can impact many areas of life, including personal and work life. Some of the most common types of mood disorders are:

Major Depressive Disorder

Major depressive disorder (MDD), also known as depression, is a mood disorder marked by a low mood or a lack of interest and enjoyment in once pleasurable activities. These main symptoms can lead to various physical and mental changes, such as tiredness, weight loss, thoughts of suicide, and difficulty concentrating, which can affect important aspects of daily life.

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a manageable condition where a person goes through severe mood changes and varying energy levels. These changes are more intense than the normal feelings everyone has and can significantly affect daily life. People with this disorder typically experience “manic episodes,” where they feel very energetic and happy, and “depressed episodes,” where they feel low and have less energy.c

Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD)

Previously called ‘Dysthymia,’ it is a chronic type of depression that persists for two years or longer. Individuals with this disorder may not experience major depressive episodes, but their symptoms are usually milder and last longer.

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)

The primary characteristic of this condition is the occurrence of intense mood symptoms, such as irritability, anger, and feelings of depression, during the week leading up to menstruation. These symptoms typically begin to alleviate within a few days after menstruation begins and tend to diminish or disappear in the week following menstruation.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that follows a seasonal pattern, with symptoms typically occurring during the fall and winter months when there is less sunlight.

Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder:

This disorder is primarily characterised by ongoing, intense irritability, and it is usually identified in children and teenagers. It includes temper outbursts that are disproportionate to the circumstances or situations.

Mood Swings Treatment

Managing mood swings requires a combination of methods, such as medical care and therapy. Each approach is important for balancing emotions and improving overall health.

Medication

Medical treatments are often needed to handle the chemical factors of mood swings. Medications can play a key role in treatment, especially when mood swings are intense and affect everyday life. These medications may include mood stabilisers, antidepressants, and sometimes antipsychotics.

Therapy

Psychological therapies play an important role in managing the psychological root cause of mood swings. These talk therapies provide tools and techniques to help individuals better understand and control their emotional reactions. One of the most effective therapies for mood swings is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT).

CBT helps people with mood swings by linking their thoughts, feelings, and actions. This therapy aims to change negative thinking patterns into more positive and realistic ones, which can help reduce the occurrence and severity of mood swings.

DBT combines CBT techniques with mindfulness, social skills training, and emotion-focused strategies. It helps individuals gain insight into their emotional challenges. In addition, DBT teaches skills for managing distress and regulating emotions, which can enhance overall mood.

Get Help With Mood And Reclaim Your Mental Health

Individuals who are experiencing mood swings for several weeks and impacting their major part of life are highly recommended to get professional assistance. A mental health professional provides a proper diagnosis and treatment to help manage the mood swings.