Mood swings: what is the reason for frequent and sudden mood changes and what to do about it?

There was just a crazy explosion of joy, I wanted to jump and clap my hands, and then... a wave of unreasonable sadness suddenly hits me. Why?

It's no secret that each of us is subject to mood swings. To one degree or another, of course.

And no one is immune from such periods when you don’t want to do anything (do, see, hear). This is how our psyche works.

We all feel sad and grieve when we experience a loss or a major setback. This is quite understandable. But sometimes people can experience such a change in mood for no apparent reason, and remain in this state for quite a long time. At the same time, during periods of sadness, a person loses interest in life, becomes tired and irritable. Such groundless “emotional swings” can negatively affect work, relationships with loved ones, and simply ruin life.

It is precisely this change of mood – abrupt and without external visible reasons – that we will talk about in this article.

Mood, in essence, is our psychological attitude towards the surrounding reality. It can be different: positive, negative or neutral.

Mood changes are a normal function of the nervous system. Thanks to it we adapt to changing conditions external environment. But sometimes these “swings” are so frequent and sharp that they interfere with a normal productive life. In this case, it’s worth figuring out: what, in fact, is happening?

Let's try to classify the factors of changes in psychological mood. So,

Possible causes of sudden mood swings:

1. Temperament type. Frequent mood swings in stressful situations choleric people are most prone to this.

2. Diet. Scientists have long noticed that some types of foods have a stimulating effect on the body, while others, on the contrary, have a calming effect. Therefore, it is worth carefully reviewing your diet.

3. Various addictions: alcoholism, gambling, drug addiction. In a state of passion, it is very difficult for a person to control changes in his state.

4. Physiological reasons. For example, previous traumatic brain injuries, or some types of mental illness. In such cases, the help of a doctor is necessary. Most likely he will appoint complex therapy, including drug treatment, and psychocorrection.

5. Chronic fatigue, constant stress. Under stressful conditions, the body simply does not have enough strength for a calm, productive life. Irritation accumulates, and now any little thing becomes capable of unsettling us.

6. In women, there are hormonal changes in the body. Mood changes can be observed especially clearly during pregnancy.

7. Off-season. This includes the characteristic autumn and spring blues, feelings of discomfort during these periods, and, as a result, emotional swings. Physiological reason Seasonal mood changes are a change in the functioning of the hypothalamus, which is responsible for the production of so-called “happiness hormones”.

8. Personal problems. Of course, everyone has them. But some people tend to make decisions quickly, while others have doubts. This provokes a change in mood.

9. Hidden depression. In cases where a person long time experiences fatigue, anxiety, sleep disturbances, plus mood swings, we can talk about depression. And since it belongs to the category of diseases, the help of doctors and psychotherapists is necessary.

10. Lack of sleep. The body needs good rest. Healthy sleep can improve both immunity and mood.

11. Flaw sunlight. The reason is the same as in the off-season - insufficient production of the “happiness hormone” melatonin. Only such blues can happen not only during transition periods between seasons, but even in summer in cloudy weather.

12. Lack of oxygen. In winter, in rarely ventilated rooms, there is often not enough fresh air, which provokes drowsiness and bad mood.

Psychologists also distinguish a certain type of character - cyclothymic. The very name of this type speaks of cyclicality. Such people naturally have sudden mood swings. What else is different about cyclothymics and how to interact with them?

So, we said earlier that a cyclothymic is a person whose mood changes too often.

Such people show instability in behavior and emotions. A sharp rise in mood is replaced by an equally sharp decline. At the same time, the cyclicity of changes can be different - throughout the day, sometimes a week.

Cyclothymics find it very difficult to control themselves. If during the period of upswing they are able to literally “move mountains”, then in moments of decline they have difficulty forcing themselves to do something, and can explode when faced with the slightest obstacle.

Such sensitivity indicates that the person is unable to tolerate frustration, an emotional state that occurs when a situation gets out of control.

Psychologists note that cyclothymia often contributes to a situation of childhood frustration - when the mother is either very close to the child or pushes him away. So little man Since childhood, he perceives everything in polar terms - either great joy or terrible grief.

Parental prohibitions on the expression of sadness and grief can also “help” cyclothymia. Growing up, a person continues to feel guilty and experience a depressed mood.

But cyclothymics, like representatives of all other character types, have not only “cons”, but also large number"pros". These people are very versatile, have a rich inner world, nature gifted them very generously.

There are a lot of creative personalities among cyclothymics. For example, Pushkin had this type of character. Cyclothymics tend to fully experience all the ups and downs, and this makes them inimitable, and their creativity unforgettable.

Cyclothymics are sociable, easily adapt to the world around them, and are prone to compliance and compromise. Mood is everything to them; thinking is not a priority. In phase good mood They are unusually efficient, resourceful, and courageous. Cyclothymics know how to communicate with people, always have a lot of ideas, but at the same time they are prone to superficiality, inconstancy, and overestimation of their capabilities.

What should cyclothymics do to smooth out mood swings?

So, if you have discovered that you have a cyclothymic character, listen to the recommendations of psychologists:

1. Step back. When you feel inexplicably sad or irritated, try to look at the situation as if from the outside. What caused it? How significant is it to you?

2. Find a safe outlet for your emotions. Use yoga, breathing practices, martial arts, qigong. They can help you harmonize your soul and body, find inner balance and remain calm.

3. Try to accept yourself. The same as you are now. Even in the not better mood and form. And it is not at all necessary to strictly comply with some strict standards of success. By accepting yourself “unvarnished”, you will gain peace of mind and new strengths.

To minimize constant emotional swings, try using simple rules:

1. Take frequent walks in nature fresh air. Such walks will give you strength and energy, and will also provide your body with enough oxygen and sunlight.

2. When you get out of bed in the morning, open the curtains and window in the bedroom. Again, bright light and fresh air will allow your body to wake up faster and gain strength for the new day.

3. Take it in the morning contrast shower: alternate warm and cool water. This procedure will help you cheer up. But don’t take the situation to fanaticism: the water temperature should be comfortable for you. Scald yourself with boiling water or freeze yourself ice water not worth it. Such exercises require a very long preparation, and solve completely different problems.

4. If possible, visit a bathhouse or sauna. It is better to do this periodically, for example, once a week. So you will not only get good health, but also a persistent emotional background.

5. Don't forget about physical activity. Choose a suitable complex for morning exercises, go to gym, to the pool, or discover some other sport. The main thing is that it is pleasant and healthy for your body.

6. Watch your diet. Provide your body with enough vitamins, especially in the off-season, when you are especially vulnerable. Remember about good breakfast– it will take care of your performance for the whole day.

7. If your food lacks vitamins, take them additionally. special complexes, along with essential minerals.

8. Try not to overload yourself. Constant stress and fatigue will do their dirty work - they will force you to periodically (and often unexpectedly) slide into negativity. Try to calm down in time and tune in to the good.

9. Master relaxation techniques. Such philosophical teachings as yoga, karate-do, etc. are especially rich in them. Choose something of your own.

10. Don't suppress your feelings. Talk about them with people you trust and who are close to you. This will help avoid sudden outbursts of accumulated emotions.

11. Invent a new hobby or remember an old one. This will distract you from sad thoughts and give you new joyful emotions.

12. Learn to see in crisis situations not only a hopeless problem, but also new opportunities, unexpected turns that can lead to something good.

13. Agree that we cannot change all situations in life. Unfortunately or fortunately, it’s not for us to judge. We must learn to accept such situations.

14. Strengthen your close relationships. Maintaining connections with family and friends will have a positive impact on your ability to cope with stress and problems.

15. Help other people without waiting for their request. In other words, do good deeds. By supporting those who have a harder time than you, you yourself will be able to cope with difficulties much easier and will feel more confident.

16. Cultivate optimism and hope. Remember that there is light at the end of even the longest tunnel.

17. Recall your previous positive problem-solving experiences to help develop confidence in your abilities.

18. You can use body-oriented practices that release emotions. For example, allow yourself to scream to your heart’s content, dance, shake your whole body to the point of exhaustion. After a half-hour “discharge,” allow yourself to fall, lie down and listen to the emptiness inside you. Achieve peace and relaxation. Psychotherapists say that in this way you can get rid of accumulated blocked energy.

And remember, developing emotional stability is a slow process and requires some effort on your part. But it’s worth it, because a stable emotional background will help you find a way out of any situation.

“Enjoy life and be happy!”
Anna Kutyavina for the website website

Every female representative has situations when her wonderful mood, when she rejoices and laughs, is replaced by tears and anger. At such moments, it is usually customary to talk about a sharp mood swing, but psychologists say that this is just a series of emotions, normal reaction to change events. The speed of mood change depends on the girl’s character. Experts talk about changes only in cases where the mood changes instantly without any particular reason, often for the worse.

Causes of mood swings

Psychologists identify several reasons for the frequent changes in women’s moods:

1. Hormone surges in the body. Most often observed during ovulation, menstruation or menopause;
2. Emotional fatigue. In the modern pace of life, a woman must keep up with everything. On her shoulders is family, work, shopping. There is practically no time left for rest;
3. Stress that lasts for a long time.

The influence of the physiological cycle and external factors on frequent mood swings

The female cycle has a huge impact on your mood. There is such a thing as premenstrual syndrome which is characterized by tearfulness, increased irritability, hot temper. All this happens due to hormonal changes that occur in female body. The egg remains unfertilized and leaves the body. Any woman, regardless of whether she wants to have children or not, on a subconscious level was preparing to become a mother, but this did not happen. During the ovulation period, a woman becomes prettier, blossoms, and is in excellent condition.

Women's mood swings are also influenced by such external factors like weather conditions. In spring and autumn, when it rains constantly and there is not enough sunlight, a woman can become depressed. Lunar phases also have an impact on the condition of women. It is believed that during the waxing moon, strength increases and mood improves. On the waning moon, on the contrary, there is a loss of strength.

How to deal with mood swings

To cope with their emotions, women should try to follow the advice of psychologists:

1. When a girl realizes that her mood begins to change sharply, she needs to change her type of activity, that is, do something else, something that does not irritate her;
2. At the moment of anger, you should try to stay alone for at least a few minutes in order to calm down and not do anything stupid;
3. If a wave rolls in negative emotions, you can drink water in small sips or try doing breathing exercises;
4. Exercising will help relieve stress;
5. Aromatherapy calms and relaxes;
6. You need to fill your life with bright colors - go to concerts, travel, find a hobby;
7. To cope with emotions, anger and rage, a woman needs to communicate with people she likes - friends, colleagues, relatives;
8. If you wish, you can make an appointment with a psychologist and together with him create an individual program to combat mood swings.

If a woman knows how to cope with her emotions, how to deal with mood swings, she will be able to make her life and the lives of her loved ones easier.

Mood during pregnancy early stages can change like a sine wave, from strong to weak, from joyful to depressed, from confidence to fear about the future. Changes in the body and the conditions of your life play a big role in this.

Read in this article

Changes in the body and their effect on mood

Internal physiological changes accompanying the onset of pregnancy play a primary and key role. The restructuring of the body and the emotional state during early pregnancy are inseparable from each other:

• . Are changing taste sensations. As a result, your mood may change. Some foods (even previously loved ones) may taste intolerable, even to the point of disgust. On the contrary, other foods will cause a passionate desire to eat them and as much as possible. You may also want to either not eat anything at all, or the feeling of hunger will haunt you all day long. In both cases, you should eat as recommended by the doctor observing you - changes in mood and appetite in the early stages of pregnancy should not greatly affect the diet necessary for your health and the health of the baby.
• Restructuring in the central nervous system. The brain (or rather its small, but very important structural part― hypothalamus) qualitatively and quantitatively controls the regulation of hormones. And hormones are a mood, and a rather long-lasting one at that. It is impossible to regulate the functioning of the hypothalamus on your own, so you need to adapt and be prepared for the fact that your mood can change very much: from irritability and even anger to tears of happiness. An event and details that have not previously affected you can cause a very strong emotional reaction, and something that previously worried, disturbed or made you happy may no longer affect you. By the way, this may also apply to the perception of sounds; you may want to listen to certain music more often, or maybe you will be comfortable mainly in silence.
• Metamorphoses of smell. Closely related to changes in the central nervous system. Previously favorite perfumes can cause best case scenario rejection and misunderstanding of how they could previously be used and admired. The same goes for food and cooking.

Smell is a powerful stimulant of memories and mood. If there have been changes in the perception of smells, you should surround yourself with those smells that evoke, if not admiration, but at least a neutral attitude. Buy new perfume, change something in the kitchen. You can’t ignore it: mood changes due to smell can cause stress.

Pathologies in the mood

Not always emotional swings and changes in mood can be explained solely by physiological reasons.

• Asthenia is severe decline, weakness and general constant drowsiness. Those tasks and responsibilities that were previously easy seem impossible. Paleness and circles under the eyes are possible. Overcome this condition better rest and sleep, regular meals, walks in the fresh air. The main thing is not to bother yourself with activities that require strong emotional or physical involvement, so as not to waste energy that should be spent on restoring a healthy state.
• Stress during early pregnancy is normal and common occurrence, since pregnancy, although natural, is a very heavy load. And you should organize your day so that pregnancy remains the only heavy load. The severity of stress is individual for each person and does not change much over the course of life. If you feel stressed, you should either sleep or switch to enjoyable activity, hobby for example. This will distract you, and pleasant and desirable activities in themselves are not sources of stress.
• Depression in early pregnancy is actually a rare phenomenon. More often depressive syndrome occurs after childbirth (so-called postpartum depression).

Depression

A serious psychiatric diagnosis that is treated with medication: often requires simultaneous intervention by both a psychiatrist and a psychologist.

Reasons to assume depression:

• depressed mood after waking up from sleep. Often the mood improves significantly as the evening approaches;
• simultaneous feeling of irritability and weakness;
• the feeling that the world has lost its colors, everything may seem gray;
• reluctance and feeling of physical impossibility to do something. Severely weakened will.
• regular self-deprecating thoughts (“I bad woman and mother”, “I don’t deserve to live on earth”, “My whole life is terrible and meaningless”);
• suicidal thoughts and plans;
• attempts at self-harm.

The above-described signs are also characteristic of asthenia and normal. These are sufficient reasons to contact a specialist.

Depression is an illness that needs to be treated. If most of the signs described above have been observed for you for more than two weeks (or the last three have only made themselves felt), you should immediately contact specialist psychotherapist. If a woman has harmed herself or attempted suicide, she needs immediate help psychiatrist.

How to deal with depression

We encourage you to accept your mood changes as normal. Often self-acceptance - best medicine. A change in mood during early pregnancy is a normal and correct signal indicating that a necessary restructuring of the body is taking place.

You should more often turn to what brings joy and satisfaction, what can distract you from everything bad (for each woman, of course, this is individual): walking in the fresh air, reading books, watching movies, going to the theater or museum, cooking, work ( working during pregnancy is not harmful, but you cannot overwork, and if possible, if there is a choice between work and caring for yourself and your health, you need to choose the second), hobbies and hobbies (and during this period new hobbies may appear), (which , of course, cannot and should not replace everything). For some women, sexual desire fades in the early stages, or even throughout the entire period of pregnancy; and for some, on the contrary, libido only intensifies. If you are concerned about this issue, then talk to your doctor; sex during pregnancy is almost always harmless and rather beneficial.

Professional help

Sometimes it may be necessary to seek the help of specialists: a supervising doctor or psychologist.

You are not alone in your experiences; mood changes during early pregnancy occur to one degree or another in every woman. Accept your changes as normal and natural things. Don't self-diagnose - if you have any doubts about your health or emotional state, don't hesitate to consult a doctor. Follow your diet and sleep patterns. Try to be in conditions in which if your mood changes, it will only be for the better.

Before using any medications, be sure to consult your doctor; there are contraindications. You should not self-medicate!

Frequent mood changes, usually observed in women. Puberty, menstruation, pregnancy and menopause are times in a woman's life when extreme emotions seem inevitable. All because of the “hormonal storm”.

However, sometimes the so-called swing of moods may indicate mental illness, which affects both women and men.

Frequent mood swings - reasons

Chemical imbalance in the brain

When the process of formation of such “happiness” hormones as serotonin or dopamine, is violated, then mood swings appear. The subject may then experience rapid alternation of feelings of depression, anxiety, happiness, stress and fear. To make sure that hormone levels are normal, you should consult an endocrinologist.

Dementia

Dementia or senile dementia is a progressive brain disease characterized by a decrease in all higher cognitive functions.

It manifests itself, in particular, as a decrease in the ability to think and rapid changes in mood, and emotions that affect the behavior of patients have low level. The number of ways to express feelings also decreases.

People suffering from dementia need to take appropriate medications and receive support from others (although this may be difficult given the nature of the disease).

Brain tumor

A brain tumor (usually in the frontal lobe area) is rare reason mood changes. In such cases, it is necessary to use tumor treatment agents (including surgical removal).

Head injuries

Head injuries can cause personality problems, attention problems, decreased concentration levels and lead to mood swings.

Side effects from taking medications

Some medications may cause temporary mood swings (eg, drug replacement hormone therapy, drugs for hyperactivity, antiepileptic drugs). In such a situation, you need to consult a doctor to change the drug.

Stress

People who are constantly stressed may experience mood swings, along with the feeling that no one understands them. Sometimes stress can lead to mental disorders and extreme behavior.

Puberty

Adolescents, during puberty, experience emotional and psychological changes that cause disturbances in in a normal way life.

It is worth knowing that puberty is more difficult for men, because the amount of testosterone produced can increase sharply within a few months, which leads to hormonal shock.

In girls during puberty, estrogen levels quadruple over several years. However, like all boys, they become more nervous, sensitive, and their mood is very changeable.

Premenstrual syndrome

Strong emotions influence women's behavior at the end of the cycle. This is the so-called premenstrual syndrome, which is a consequence of hormonal changes. Changes in mood are accompanied by deterioration physical condition, so apathy and irritability appear.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy causes hormonal fluctuations in a woman’s body (alternate increase and decrease in estrogen levels). Additionally, some pregnant women may have decreased self-esteem due to physical changes, occurring in the body, and the inability to perform certain duties.

In such a situation, “mood swings” are something completely normal, and the absence of this type of reaction can be an alarming symptom.

Menopause

Women also experience mood swings during menopause. They are called hormonal changes during menopause: estrogen levels decrease.

This is a hormone that affects the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter responsible for regulating mood. Therefore, women during menopause may feel alternately sadness and depression, joy or states of euphoria.

Mood swings and mental illness

Also some mental disorders may cause mood swings. In this case, the help of a psychiatrist is necessary.

ADHD

Patients suffering from ADHD experience hyperactivity, impulsivity, and sudden mood swings. This happens because a hyperactive person first acts as they feel, and then thinks about the consequences of their actions.

In this regard, he cannot cope with his variable emotions, which affect his own behavior, and tries to limit his reactions so that they are not burdensome for him and his immediate environment.

Depression

Typically, the term depression is used to define a temporary deterioration in mood, the blues. In fact, depression is a disease that causes pathological changes moods.

There are several types of depression. The most benign variant of the disease is dysthymia, that is, chronic nervous depression, depressive disorder personality.

Bipolar disorder

The most serious type of depression is bipolar disorder, that is, cyclophrenia. Patients with cyclophrenia experience pathological changes in mood, and even a tendency to dangerous behavior.

Patients, as a rule, are not able to regulate their mood in accordance with the situation (for example, they react with sadness to joyful events).

Borderline personality

On the behavior of people suffering from borderline disorder, are influenced by very strong, extreme emotions, for example, feelings of love alternate with hatred. This makes it difficult for them to establish close relationships.

Intermittent temper disorder (IED)

People suffering from IED without any objective reason literally “explode with anger,” which they cannot control, after which their condition returns to normal. People with IED pose a huge danger because they can cause harm to another person when they have very strong emotions.

Alcohol disease

Alcohol affects the central nervous system, which causes changes in mood, thinking and behavior. Initially and for a short period of time, alcohol causes relaxation, a state of euphoria and excitement (this is due to the inhibition of control mechanisms), in order to in the second phase of its action cause a feeling of fatigue, slowness and drowsiness.

Women by nature are very changeable individuals. They are characterized by moodiness, nervousness, unpredictability and frequent mood swings. Most men believe that character is to blame for all this. But in reality, it all depends on physiological characteristics representatives of the fair sex.

Changes and mood swings can be noticed especially often before and during menstruation. This is explained by the changes that occur in the body during this period, because the connection between physiological processes And emotional state very tight.

During menstruation, women experience a range of symptoms that significantly affect their mood. Most often, during this delicate period, representatives of the fair sex observe the following signs:

• Pain in the lower abdomen and lower back;
• Headache;
• Possibly increased temperature;
• Poor sleep;
• Physical discomfort;
• Rapid fatigue;
• Irritability, nervousness, depression.

These symptoms begin to appear several days before menstruation and end on the 3-4th day of menstruation. But this process is individual, and each woman experiences it differently.

Why does your mood often change during menstruation?

Women's mood can change not only during menstruation, but also during menstrual period this phenomenon is observed more often. Why do periods have such an impact on a woman’s mood? This issue has been studied for quite some time, and scientists have put forward several theories about this.

The most likely factors influencing women's mood during menstruation are:

• Hormonal changes in the body. At this time, a large amount of hormones are released, namely progesterone and estrogen. This leads to a decrease in blood sugar levels and active production of adrenaline.
• Excessive amounts of toxins. Over the course of a month, a woman’s body accumulates a large number of toxins that actively affect the body, including emotional sphere. All of them, as a rule, come out along with menstrual flow.
• Insufficient amount of calcium, which the body loses along with menstrual blood. Calcium is responsible for metabolism and nervous system activity.
• A woman's subjective attitude towards. For women, this period is characterized by certain restrictions and discomfort. Therefore, during menstruation they cannot live fully, this causes dissatisfaction and bad mood.

The period of menstruation is a very delicate time. A mood swing can happen due to anything: a quarrel with loved ones, uncomfortable clothes, remarks at work, discomfort in public transport. Moreover, due to a small pretext, it can develop strong neurosis or disorder. Therefore, during menstruation, women need to be treated especially delicately.

Do frequent mood swings need to be treated?

Bad mood caused by physiological changes in female body, there is no need to treat separately. But, if your periods are very difficult, you still need to see a doctor. With such differences, the gynecologist usually selects complex treatment and can prescribe drugs from the following groups:

• Hormonal agents to restore hormonal levels;
• Painkillers, in case of severe pain, especially in the first days of menstruation;
• Sedatives, in case of severe apathy and nervousness;
• Vitamins, magnesium and calcium, to restore normal metabolism in the blood and the functioning of the nervous system.

fight with bad mood You can also do it at home. A soothing decoction of medicinal herbs: peppermint, chamomile flowers and rhizomes. This folk remedy doesn't have side effects, so almost everyone can take it.

Support and understanding are very important for a woman during this period. Therefore, loved ones should pay maximum attention and not provoke strong emotions. In addition, it is important to understand that her words and actions during this period are influenced by hormones, so you should not be offended, but rather try to calm her down.

If neuroses and disorders become widespread and this causes danger, of course, you should consult a doctor. Perhaps the reason for this is not only menstruation, but also other mental processes.

How to help yourself?

Menstruation is a natural phenomenon in female physiology, so there is no need to fight it, but simply adapt as much as possible. Every woman should accept the concept that once a month her mood is affected not only by the external environment, but also by internal processes. Therefore to frequent changes moods should be treated calmly, without unnecessary worries.

Experts advise keeping a diary. It is necessary to note not only the days of menstruation, but also your mood. This way, you can track how many days a month your hormones affect your emotions and mood. Psychologists believe that such a diary prepares a woman for the fact that a difficult period is approaching, so you need to be careful with your emotions.

There are several universal tips on how to help yourself before and during menstruation:

• A few days before the expected menstruation, limit the consumption of spicy and fatty foods so as not to overload the liver, which processes hormones;
• Limit the consumption of strong coffee, it has a stimulating effect on the nervous system;
• Eat foods rich in vitamins A, B, C, E; vegetables and fruits will be indispensable;
• You can’t restrain yourself to give vent to your feelings, if you want to cry; after such a release of emotions, as psychologists say, it becomes easier;
• Breathing exercises, it helps saturate the blood with oxygen and increase the level of endorphin in the blood;
• Light relaxing massage;
• Walking in the fresh air;

Such simple tips will help reduce the possibility of menstruation. And although the mood during this period may not be at its best, after a few days the woman will return to the normal rhythm of life without unnecessary worries.