Mood swings: what they are, and 9 tips for managing them

If we do not control them, emotional ups and downs can put us out of action for a while.

Many of us have experienced this situation: in a normal day in which we feel good and everything seems to be going smoothly, a thought or circumstance appears that suddenly makes our mood change and we start to feel bad: sadder or stressed; anxious or pensive.

If these mood changes occur more frequently, they can affect our relationships and our day-to-day life. Below we will see what mood swings are, we will see what mood swings are, what their possible causes are and we will offer and we will offer a series of keys to manage them better.

What are mood swings?

The alterations in the state of mind or the sudden changes of humor consist of a series of emotional ups and downs that come on suddenly and in which the and in which the person experiences various emotions in a very short period of time.

In these moments the person can go from a jovial or satisfied mood to deep anguish or intense nervousness without anything directly or consciously triggering it.

Emotional instability can cause numerous interferences in the person's daily rhythm of life, both on a personal, social and work level.

Although these mood swings have usually been attributed to women to a greater extent, due to the relationship they have with the hormonal changes of menstruation or menopause, the truth is that they can occur in any sex or age. can occur in any sex or age..

Frequent causes

There are many, many causes of sudden mood changes. Some of these changes may be due to external factors or events, hormonal changes, or certain underlying mental conditions or disorders.

Some of these causes include:

• Adolescence.
• Premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
• Menopause.
• Eating disorders.
• Personality disorder such as borderline or histrionic personality disorder.

However, there are many cases or times when it is not easy to determine what has caused a sudden mood change. The appearance and management of emotions is so variable and is affected by so many factors that it is often difficult to know what is affecting us.

Keys to manage mood swings

Although sometimes associated with a medical condition, it is completely natural to experience mood swings when a series of events occur in our lives that overwhelm or distress us.

Experiencing emotional ups and downs is a common occurrence.However, if we do not know how to handle or manage them properly, they can end up interfering in our social relationships or in our dealings with other people.

In the same way, they can suppose a decrease in our work performance, since these emotional changes and a low mood can lead to demotivation, apathy and a lack of productivity.

In order to better cope with these changes, we present a series of keys to both control and avoid these mood swings. There are a series of keys, strategies or guidelines to follow when we perceive that we are experiencing less emotional stability. These guidelines will help you manage your mood swings once they have appeared and your overall mood is likely to improve.

1. Establish a series of calming routines

No one knows better than ourselves what things relax, calm or soothe us and what others can activate us even more. Therefore, it is advisable to find a series of routines or places with which we can stabilize our emotions.

Routines such as listening to some music, going for a walk or having a hot drink can help us to calm our mood. Once we have identified our ideal routine, we should complete it every time a change of mood appears. Little by little it will become a kind of ritual that will help us more and more.

2. Know when to walk away

Being aware of when our moods are interfering with interactions with others is essential. Knowing when our emotions can get the better of us is vital to interrupt a discussion that we know we cannot cope with. interrupting an argument that we know in advance we will not be able to cope with..

Sudden mood swings are often more pronounced with arguments, so it's worth stepping away for a few moments and returning when our mind is clearer and our mood has returned to normal.

3. Think before you speak

This point is closely related to the previous one. Another fundamental key so that the changes of mood do not dominate us is to stop for a moment to think about our mood. stop for a moment to think before answering the other person moved by our emotions.

4. Rest from time to time

In many of the moments when we experience sudden changes in our mood or state of mind a good option is to take a few moments to to rest and calm the emotional instability.

A change of context or place is useful to clear our thoughts. In cases where emotions invade us, it is highly recommended to stop for a moment, count to ten and distract ourselves with anything else that helps us to relax.

5. To exercise

Exercising increases the levels of dopamine in the blood. This neurotransmitter plays an essential role in regulating our mood and making us feel better.

However, it is not necessary to do a large amount of exercise every day. Taking short walks of about 30 minutes can help us to manage and contain the negative emotions that can appear during an episode of mood swings.

6. Talk to someone you trust

When mood swings invade us and anxiety takes hold of us, it can be helpful to talk to someone we trust.

Expressing our worries and feelings to someone we can trust will make us feel better, calm our spirits and, very importantly, not feel alone in these situations.

However, if these mood swings appear on a recurring basis, the best thing to do is to see a doctor, the most advisable thing is to go to a psychologist or a mental health specialist in the medical field who can help us.

7. Write

Writing about our feelings can be a great help to unburden ourselves, put our ideas in order and be aware of the circumstances that trigger our feelings. be aware of what circumstances trigger or facilitate these changes..

If we also record these changes on a daily basis, we can be much more aware of our fluctuations, know what causes them or if there is a certain pattern of behavior. In this way it will be easier to foresee them and, as far as possible, to avoid them.

8. Knowing what causes us to have mood swings

Although on many occasions we are not conscious of the stimuli or facts that alter our moods, it is advisable to know what situations, situations or events cause us to change our mood.It is advisable to know what situations, seasons or stimuli can exert an effect on our mood.

For example, if we know that during the premenstrual syndrome sudden changes of mood can appear, it will be somewhat easier for us to manage them.

9. Ask for professional help

Although these mood swings are normal and may appear without being associated with any type of mental or emotional condition, if they occur on a recurring basis, they can seriously interfere with our mood. can interfere in a serious way in our day to day life.

In addition, feelings of distress may intensify and, if we do not learn to manage them, mood swings may appear more and more often. Therefore, it is important to seek professional help and have a psychology or mental health specialist guide us and help us manage these ups and downs.

Bibliographical references:

• Thayer, Robert E. (1989). The Biopsychology of Mood and Arousal. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
• N Dubey, J F Hoffman, K Schuebel, Q Yuan, P E Martinez, L K Nieman, D R Rubinow, P J Schmidt & D Goldman. (2017). Molecular Psychiatry volume 22.