Mood swings are not as uncommon as you think. In fact, different things can cause mood swings; therefore, nearly everyone experiences them at one time in their lives.

What a lot of people don’t know is that mood swings can affect how and what you eat, your interest in the things you love, and both your physical and emotional health. Let’s take a look at mood swings in a little more detail.

What Are Mood Swings?

Mood swings are changes to your emotional state and can happen quickly. When you’re experiencing a mood swing, you can go from being elated and happy to being subdued and even depressed in a matter of minutes or even seconds.

In many cases, mood swings are simply a reaction to either hormonal changes or even stress, but they can also signal more serious problems.

If you think that mood swings are no big deal, think again. They can affect a person’s sleep habits, their relationships, and even their outlook on life. Sometimes mood swings are the result of a mental health issue, including bipolar disorder or borderline personality disorder.

In addition to fast-changing moods, you may also have trouble sleeping or feel less energetic than you normally do.

As far as your sleep patterns go, mood swings can cause you to have trouble sleeping or sleep too much. Your appetite may increase or decrease, you may have trouble concentrating, and you could even feel overly tired or fatigued.

They can make you want to eat more or less and experience swing and eat activity, affecting your appetite in one way or another as soon as your mood changes.

What Causes Mood Swings?

Simple stress can cause mood swings, as well as changes in hormones. In many cases, mood swings are temporary, but the first thing you’ll want to do if you’re experiencing this is to pay a visit to your doctor and get a full checkup.

Make sure that you consult with them about your mood swings so they can work with you to determine the cause and what to do to improve the situation.

In addition to hormonal changes, stress, and mental health issues, mood swings can also be caused by substance abuse disorders. Your doctor will likely do some blood work to test your hormone levels and a few other things, which is a great starting point.

Certain medications can also cause mood swings, including corticosteroids and anabolic-androgenic steroids, as well as certain SSRIs and Isotrentoin.

Regarding changes in hormone levels, keep in mind that certain situations can cause hormonal changes and therefore mood swings. These include puberty, a woman’s menstrual cycle, and menopause. In addition, certain psychoactive drugs and alcohol can also cause mood swings.

If you decide to see a doctor, they will consider all of these things and more to determine the actual cause of your mood swings.

How to Deal with Mood Swings?

Depending on what you’ve discovered is causing your mood swings, there are certain things you can do to reduce the symptoms or deal with them more effectively.

These include taking care of any substance abuse problems you might be having, getting regular exercise, making sure that you eat healthy every day, learning different ways to reduce your stress level, and adjusting your nightly routine so you can learn to sleep better.

Mood swings can be caused by either physical or emotional conditions or changes in your life, and while they are not fatal, they can be awfully miserable.

If you write everything down that you eat, drink, and do during the day, and keep a diary for a while, you might notice a pattern that precedes a severe mood swing. This is your first step to figuring out what you should do about it.

If you do notice a pattern, make sure that you mention this to your doctor. Mood swings are caused by either physical or psychological changes in the body, and once you know exactly what is causing yours, you can more easily do something about it.

Also keep in mind that many mood swings are only temporary, but only a doctor can tell you that for sure.

In most cases, the solution to this problem is a simple one, which is good to know. Keep in mind that there is nothing wrong with feeling angry or experiencing mood swings every now and then. When the mood swings are constant, though, they can have a direct impact on the quality of your life.

How to Know for Sure That You Need to See a Doctor?

Mood swings can be miserable because they make you feel out of control. If they last too long and you don’t know where they’re coming from, it’s a good idea to see your doctor. There are also some symptoms that signal you should see a doctor immediately, regardless of how severe your mood swings are.

They include the following:

• The desire to harm yourself or end your life
• Feeling so bad that you’re having trouble getting out of bed
• Being extremely hyper and doing things you don’t normally do, including risky behaviors such as promiscuity or spending large amounts of money

If you have any doubts whatsoever about seeing a doctor, then you should schedule a visit. It is better to be safe than sorry, and possible treatments may include seeing a therapist, going to drug or alcohol rehab, taking good care of yourself and making some lifestyle changes, and taking certain medications, such as an antidepressant or a mood stabilizer.

Conclusion

Mood swings cause you to instantly switch from being excited and happy to being sad, quiet, and even angry or depressed. Most of them are caused by either physical or psychological issues, and a visit to your doctor will help you know for sure.

Most treatments are simple and work quickly to reverse the situation, so you shouldn’t have to put up with them for long.

You can also make some lifestyle changes in order to make them more bearable, including taking good care of yourself, learning relaxation techniques, and changing your sleep routine in order to sleep better.