Sudden mood swings: reasons for frequent mood swings, how to quickly help yourself?

From this article you will learn why sudden changes in mood occur and what diseases this symptom is associated with.

Emotional instability is often caused by exposure to stress and prolonged psychological tension at home or at work. Elimination of unfavorable factors and psychotherapy relieve these symptoms.

But it also happens that a sudden change in mood is caused by some serious illness. In this case, it is important not to hesitate and at the first manifestations, consult a doctor. What diseases do these symptoms indicate, and how can you help yourself? Find the answer to this question below.

What is a sudden change in mood called: what kind of diseases, diagnoses?

A sharp change in mood
A sharp change in mood, not caused by external factors, suggests changes in the hormonal status and psyche of a person. Such mood swings do not last long and go away either on their own or after medication adjustment and are observed more often in women with the following conditions:

Premenstrual syndrome
Menopause period
Thyroid diseases

More serious mental disorders in women and men with sudden changes in mood are a disease and have a long course. Here are some diagnoses with these symptoms:

Cyclotomy is characterized by changes in often pronounced excitement and mild depression. It develops at a young age and has a chronic course, and its occurrence is associated with genetic factors.
Bipolar disorder is a mental illness characterized by sudden mood swings from confidence, increased self-esteem and excitement, to sadness and vice versa. The highs are periods of mania and the lows are periods of depression. Sometimes there can be joy, but in very exceptional cases. A person commits illogical actions, behaves too uninhibitedly and incorrectly builds logical chains when thinking. The phase of excitement passes and is replaced by apathy and depression. A person constantly experiences extreme fatigue.
Mood swings can even become mixed, with a person feeling elated and depressed at the same time. This disease is appropriately called manic-depressive psychosis .
Alzheimer's disease is a slowly progressive disease of the brain and is characterized by memory loss, disturbances in thinking, behavior and speech. Symptoms may vary in severity. The development of the disease is influenced by increasing age and genetics.
tumors can provoke sudden changes in mood and other mental abnormalities. Diagnosis and treatment of such conditions must be carried out when the first symptoms appear, which will significantly increase the chances of a favorable outcome.

Remember: At the first manifestations of sudden conditions associated with psychosis and other nervous symptoms, you should consult a doctor. Many diseases associated with nerves can be easily treated at the initial stage of pathology development.

A type of affective syndrome

Diagnosis and successful initiation of treatment for affective syndrome is associated with a clear definition of the type of pathology.

Affective respiratory syndrome

The cause of the onset of pathology is a serious psycho-emotional stimulus. Accompanied by attacks of suffocation, panic attacks caused by the inability to continue normal breathing. It occurs quite rarely in adult patients, due to the acquisition of the skill to control one’s emotional state in the event of sudden moral and physical shocks.

Affectively delusional syndrome

A polymorphic psychotic disorder, often caused by schizophrenia. Manifestations in situations of diagnosing delirium and depression in patients suffering from various mental illnesses.

Affectively paranoid syndrome

Refers to exacerbations in recurrent and schizophrenia, acute paraphrenia and other psychiatric diagnoses. It manifests itself as symptoms of switching off consciousness in the form of coma, a state of stupor, hypochondria, and a constant feeling of guilt. Accompanied by movement disorders. Such as agitation, the speed of associations changes from complete slowdown to acceleration at the level of a “whirlwind of ideas.”

Affectively endogenous syndrome

Occurs with endogenous diagnoses, somatogenic mental pathologies. Accompanied by frequent changes in mood phases. The maximum duration of depressive periods lasts up to 6 months. During the period of remission, the pathology may be virtually invisible.

Affective respiratory syndrome in children

It is a frequent response of the body to sudden provoking situations in the form of holding or even stopping breathing. This manifestation also occurs in a situation of prolonged prolonged crying. May be accompanied by convulsions and loss of consciousness. In rare situations, it turns into epilepsy.

Affective instability syndrome

A state of emotional instability that is on the verge of normal. It is recommended to contact a specialist:

in case of frequent breakdowns, the so-called “crazy”;
affective outbursts;
mood swings, often occurring at an unconscious level;
low level behavior control.

Manifestations in most situations are associated with stressful conditions and weather changes. Unstable psychopathy borders on schizophrenia.

Affective depressive syndrome

Constantly depressed mood, energy and performance decrease, often patients are characterized by a refusal to control their appearance. Ungrooming appears. The mood does not improve in pleasant company. Thoughts about suicide often appear.

Affective pathology syndromes

Extremely diverse. A common symptom is a disturbance in the emotional state from a state of excessive joy to deep depression. If frequent mood swings are detected, it is recommended to consult a specialist for an accurate diagnosis.

Affectively hallucinatory syndrome

It is characterized by a combination of delusional and hallucinogenic disorders. Patients may experience visual and auditory hallucinations, decreased emotional status, or, conversely, increased agitation.

Sudden changes in mood: signs of psychological disorder

Sudden changes in mood
There is no clear line between a mental disorder and a normal state of mind. Any person in a state of passion is capable of behaving inappropriately. If there is no reason for a radical change, but within a few minutes it changes in one direction or the other, then we can talk about a mental disorder as an independent disease. A sudden change in mood, as a rule, does not just happen. This is the first sign of a psychological disorder:

Bipolar mental disorder:

This condition is characterized by mental agitation for several hours, days or even weeks. The first signs of the disease were described above.
For more information about this pathology, read the article on our website at this link .

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder:

The behavior of such patients is characterized by hyperactivity and impulsiveness.
A person’s “think-do” connection is disrupted. They do first, think later.
Internally, a person tries to control this, which is why sudden mood swings occur.
The patient withdraws into himself and does not want to communicate with the outside world.

Depression:

This is a disease that causes chronic mental changes, often irreversible. Here are the types of depression:

Dysthymia . This is the easiest version of depression. It is easily reversible. It is also called depressive mental disorder.
Cyclophrenia. This is the most severe type of depression. With this disease, patients behave inappropriately, sometimes even dangerously. They tend to harm not only themselves, but also those around them. They are unable to control their mood. They react to joyful events with sadness and vice versa.

Borderline Personality:

Such people experience only the extremes of emotions, that is, love and hatred, hunger and satiety. Moreover, they feel this feeling at the same time.
A person loves madly, and the next second he can kill without thinking.
It is extremely difficult for the patient to interact with society.

Intermittent temper disorder:

People with such a mental disorder suddenly explode with anger for no apparent reason.
Within a few minutes their condition returns to normal.
Such patients are dangerous because in a fit of anger they can harm others.

Alcohol disease:

With constant drinking of alcohol, the state of the psyche irreversibly changes.
Euphoria is replaced by a decadent mood.
A person has inhibited reflexes, a constant feeling of fatigue, and can even lead to deviant behavior.

Only a specialist can distinguish bad character from a mental disorder. He will draw up a treatment plan and help you deal with the problem.

Drug therapy

Having identified the cause of the condition, it is necessary to begin its treatment, and the therapy should be comprehensive.

If the problem is hormonal imbalance, the endocrinologist will prescribe hormone therapy.
If a head injury is to blame, take appropriate medications.
If oncology – chemotherapy, surgery if necessary
If the reason lies in psychological problems, then the person should attend psychotherapy sessions. In this case, it is necessary to take prescribed medications, which may include:

antidepressants;
drugs for regulating the vascular system;
homeopathic preparations, including vitamin complexes;
mood stabilizers are psychotropic drugs prescribed to stabilize mood. This drug can only be prescribed by a specialist. Prescribed to people suffering from mental disorders, in particular bipolar disorder. In addition, it can be used to get rid of increased irritability and impulsiveness.

Remember that self-medication is unacceptable. You can only make your condition worse.

There are a number of situations that may indicate that emergency consultation with a specialist is needed:

mood swings occur more than twice a week;
the attack persists for more than several hours;
in addition to changes in mood, there is a serious disturbance in physical condition;
Behavioral deviations lead to serious problems in relationships with colleagues and relatives.

Sudden changes in mood and aggression - why it happens in girls and women: reasons for frequent changes

Sudden changes in mood and aggression
Any change in the emotional plane of a woman or girl - a sharp change in mood, aggression, is a consequence of neurophysiological mechanisms in the brain. But the reverse development of events is also possible, as a result of which the activity of all organs and systems (central nervous system, cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine and others) occurs under the control of experiences or aggression.

Why do girls and women experience such conditions? The main reasons for frequent mood swings include the following:

Physiological changes in hormonal levels:

Pregnancy
Breastfeeding period
Premenstrual syndrome
Menopause
Taking hormonal oral contraceptives
Puberty and adolescence in girls
Lack of sex life

Pathological changes in hormonal levels:

Prolactinoma is a brain tumor that synthesizes the hormone prolactin.
Pathology of the thyroid gland - with increased production of hormones, all reactions in the body occur in an intensive mode. And, conversely, with slow production of hormones, a woman falls into a depressive state.
Diseases of the liver and gall bladder . Spasm of the bile ducts, production of norepinephrine and, as a result, anger and irritability.
Diseases of the cardiovascular system . As a result of disturbances in the functioning of the heart - tachycardia, extrasystole, adrenaline (the fear hormone) is produced.
Stress, worries, conflicts against the background of emotional tension.
Psychical deviations . For example, bipolar disorder, in which anger and melancholy are replaced by causeless laughter and joy, depression.
Taking medications (antidepressants), side effects of medications.
Use of toxic substances - drugs, smoking, alcohol.

Almost always, if the patient is correctly diagnosed and the underlying disease is eliminated, then the condition when there is a sharp change in mood goes away. The woman begins to live an ordinary life, feels a surge of strength and joy of existence.

How common is depression during menopause?

Research shows that between 8 and 38 percent of women going through menopause experience mood changes. Premenopausal women are twice as likely to suffer from depression than women who have not yet entered perimenopause.

It is clear that a history of depression makes menopausal women more susceptible to developing it. Women who have experienced PMS or postpartum depression are at greater risk of depression during menopause than women who have not experienced postpartum depression.

It's not surprising that women with a particularly long transition to menopause find themselves more prone to depression than women with a shorter transition, especially if they also experience other unpleasant menopausal symptoms.

Sharp mood changes in men: why can this happen, what to do, how to help yourself?

Sharp changes in mood in men
It is generally accepted that a man is stronger emotionally and is much less likely to succumb to irritation; he is compared to a stone wall. However, this is not entirely true; men can also be emotional and suffer from sudden mood swings. Why might this happen? Of course, it is better to consult a doctor to exclude the development of serious pathologies that were described above.

If you do not take into account complex diseases, here are the main causes of mood swings in men:

City life

Frequent mood swings are typical mainly for city residents.
Constant stress, city noise and bustle have a negative impact on a man’s mood.

Difficult financial situation

A man is considered to be the breadwinner and protector of his family.
Therefore, when an unpleasant money situation arises, a man’s self-confidence may be shaken. Plus, anxiety is added to everything.

Personal problems

While a woman rarely keeps her feelings to herself, she may cry or tell her friends about her problems.
A man often pretends that everything is absolutely normal. He accumulates and suppresses these emotions, which does not lead to anything good.

Emotional burnout

A man is often busy for a long time, for example, with his work.
He has to constantly solve problems, or he may have troubles in some area, this can lead to exhaustion of the body and frequent mood swings.

What to do and how to help yourself? Practical tips:

Establish self-control.
The first step is to look at the problem from the outside and calm your nerves.
Change the type of activity.
A good way to combat mood swings is to change your environment.
It's worth starting with at least a little rest. If you solve the problem radically, then even changing your main job can help.
Change your lifestyle.
You should carefully review your daily routine. Perhaps a good option would be to add sports activities or walks in the evenings, and on weekends – trips to nature.

A woman should also not stay away from the problem of her loved one. Here's what she can do:

To be by his side in difficult times
Try to listen to all his problems
Help with valuable advice or actions
Stay patient

And of course, the best cure for such problems for a man is love and care from his woman.

Stress

The state of our body largely depends on how we feel. When we experience a strong shock, The 4 Major Stress Hormones cortisol, the stress hormone, begins to be intensively produced. This leads to fatigue, poor sleep and appetite, but even more affects our behavior and mood.

What to do

Try to calm down and relax. Meditation will help you quickly come to your senses and normalize your mood: A simple, fast way to reduce stress breathing practice or meditation.

If it is not possible to conduct a full meditation, try to retire to a quiet place for a couple of minutes. Relax, focus on your breathing and sensations in your body. Breathe evenly and deeply. Clear your head of thoughts and imagine that you are filled with calm.

Meditation practices help control mood.

Sharp changes in mood in a child: reasons, what to do?

Sharp changes in mood in a child
Mood swings can occur in children of different age categories. It could be a baby who was playing quietly and suddenly started crying and stamping his feet. Or a teenager who was cheerful and full of energy suddenly fell into a depressed state.

Let's look at the main reasons for sudden changes in mood in young children:

Crisis stages in child development:

Crisis up to 3 years - manifests itself in the desire to do everything yourself
School age crisis ( 7 years old ) - manifests itself in the fear of doing something wrong, contrary to parents.
At certain moments in life - changes in the environment, a different situation, a child may become confused, he does not want to communicate, he does not understand how to behave and what to expect.

Hyperactivity:

The child is overexcited, active, fussy, forgetful, talks a lot, and cannot concentrate on anything specific.

Attracting attention to yourself:

The baby knows and understands that if he cries, someone will immediately come up to him, calm him down and give him candy.

Tense situations, conflicts between parents:

The baby feels all the negative moments happening in the family, as a result of which it begins to be capricious.

Copies parents' behavior:

If mom or dad become irritable, gloomy, and not talkative, then the child tries to be like them.

What to do in such cases? Here are some tips for parents of toddlers:

Under no circumstances should you shout or scold.
If the child is small: observe his behavior over a certain period of time. Having found out the reason, eliminate it.
If you notice any incomprehensible movements on the part of the child, if he is withdrawn and does not contact anyone, does not play, does not talk, is not interested in anything, you should be wary, it is better to show the child to a neuropsychiatrist.

With a schoolchild:

You need to talk calmly and gain confidence in him.
Whenever you achieve something, don’t forget to praise, encourage, and support.
Talk like an adult.
Teach him to control his emotions and behavior.
The most important thing is to monitor the child’s daily routine, nutrition and sleep.

The best cure for all the psychological problems of a small child is the love of parents. A loving mother or father will always notice if the baby has some psychological difficulties and will try to help. There is no need to scold the baby if something doesn’t work out for him or he does something wrong. Everything will come in time. But, if you notice that the condition is getting worse, and this is affecting the baby’s psyche, then you should immediately consult a doctor.

Sudden mood swings in teenagers: reasons, what to do and what does it mean?

Sudden mood swings in teenagers
All of us in childhood, as children, dream of growing up as quickly as possible. I want to be independent, independent from my parents. But not every child and not every parent can know that the stage of a person’s transition from childhood to adulthood is a rather difficult period in the life of a family.

Children in adolescence ( 11-17 years ) are more likely than in any other period of life to experience sudden mood swings. Causes of sudden mood swings in teenagers - what does it mean:

The child changes dramatically before our eyes and becomes irritable, hot-tempered, secretive, and rude.
But there is an explanation for all this: it is during adolescence that the body experiences rapid growth, hormonal changes, puberty (as well as the desire to please the opposite sex).
The teenager’s body and physiology change, and all these changes cannot pass without leaving a trace. Because of this, everything around me is annoying.
As a result, emotions are raging: just a few minutes ago your teenager was in a sad, despondent mood, and now he is laughing and radiating good, positive emotions.

Thus, mood swings are normal as a person gets older, but in rare cases they can indicate the onset of some serious problems. Therefore, it is very important that parents are patient, and at the same time pay attention to the duration and frequency of sudden emotional swings, since all this can easily turn into teenage depression. You should contact a specialist if you notice that your child:

Constantly feels tired
Feels apathetic towards everything
Avoids familiar surroundings
Systematically complains of insomnia
Became distracted, forgetful, anxious
Has lost his appetite or, conversely, is overeating
Started drinking alcohol and drugs
Obsessed with thoughts of death

Let's consider a few tips that you need to heed so that your child's adolescence passes with minimal nervous losses:

Try to build a trusting relationship with your child , so that if he has difficulties, he can ask for help or advice.
Show your child no less respect than you demand from him. Consider his words, desires, perceive him as a person despite his young age.
Align rights with responsibilities . It is necessary to give a teenager freedom, but at the same time he must understand that an adult differs from a child in that he must bear responsibility for his actions.
When aggression is shown, do not respond in kind . Be patient, don't be angry.
Try to make sure that your son or daughter knows that his parents love him madly, appreciate him, trust him and are always ready to help.

And remember that your especially sensitive attitude towards your child in adolescence, and, if necessary, timely assistance, will be the right step towards trusting, harmonious relationships in the future and to family well-being in general.

Never gets tired and is not afraid of anything

The night was drawing to a close, but Sasha felt that he still had plenty of energy. A school day, two work meetings, a trip to the cinema, a club... Come on, it's just the beginning! “Let’s go to my dacha to look at the stars! - he suggested to his friends. “I know who I can get a telescope from right now.”

Those who knew the guy from early childhood now looked at each other behind his back in bewilderment - Sasha had always been a quiet and shy boy. He did not like noisy companies, was often sad, and was not very confident in himself. But in his first year it was as if he had been replaced. He suddenly became very active and sociable and made a bunch of new friends. In the morning I ran to the “rocking room”, studied only with “excellent marks”, and then spent time until late at night at various meetings and parties. The parents couldn’t be happier; they said that even a piece of this energy was transferred to them.

The opposite sex also began to like Sasha more. “We met at a party, where it was impossible not to pay attention to his charisma. When he opened his mouth, it was easy to forget that there were other people around,” recalls Lena, Sasha’s girlfriend. “He was very eloquent and did beautiful, unusual things. Once he asked me to lower the tied sheets from the dorm window and climbed on them to me. There was a feeling that he never got tired and was not afraid of anything.”

Sasha felt more and more confident in his abilities. But at some point the guy seemed to lose control of his life. He slept less and less, became increasingly irritated and complained about the slowness of those around him. “It was as if my brain started to choke. I wanted to move faster and faster, think even more, achieve more, I believed that I was capable of anything - but the world around me was so clumsy that I could not realize myself 100%. And then I started to lose control of myself."

One day Sasha realized what he had to do. Secretly from his loved ones, he took out a large loan in order, they say, to “do charity work” - but in essence just give money to the poor. And he gave everything without reserve. He and his family are still paying off this loan. And a couple of weeks after this act, not a trace of Sasha’s euphoria remained, and he fell into deep depression.

Sudden mood swings - attacks of neurosis: how to help yourself?

Sudden changes in mood - attacks of neurosis.
When your mood changes frequently, this is quite normal. But causeless contrast is a reason to think about your health. Here are the main reasons for the development of attacks of neurosis and the manifestation of sudden changes in mood with this pathology:

This disease may be associated with functional disorders of the body, in particular, malfunctions of the thyroid gland.
Constant nervous tension associated with work or education.
Side effects of certain medications.
A consequence of various kinds of dependencies.
Unbalanced diet.
Insomnia and lack of sleep.
A side factor associated with diseases of the nervous system.
Oxygen starvation of the brain.

How to help yourself? It is worth seeking advice from a specialist doctor. Based on the examination, the following types of therapy may be offered:

Drug treatment, in the form of sedatives or hormonal drugs.
Therapeutic sessions with a psychologist.
Balanced diet.
Frequent walks in the fresh air.
Solving life's problems as they arise and the ability to abstract from them.
Physical education classes.

Lead an active lifestyle and eat right. This is the first step towards recovery and improved mood.

Sudden mood swings: which doctor should I contact?

Sudden changes in mood
If a symptom such as a sudden change in mood appears, you should consult a doctor for advice. Usually, such manifestations are addressed to a psychotherapist, psychologist, neurologist or psychiatrist.

Worth knowing: Many people with nervous diseases do not want to go to see such specialists, proving that they are healthy. In this case, you should consult a therapist.

This specialist can also make a preliminary diagnosis and refer you to a doctor with a narrow specialization from the above. Do not hesitate to go to the hospital if you are concerned about any of the above symptoms or manifestations. This can negatively affect your health and the well-being of your loved ones.