Understanding a loved one who’s going through severe mood swings can be difficult. They might start the day feeling angry and end it with sadness, depending on what causes the emotions to change. They can be heavily influenced from a mental illness or a physical disease
At South Plains Rural Health Services, you can find mental health professionals that can address their concerns and help them achieve the peace that they need.
What Are Mood Swings?
Mood swings can be described as sudden changes in your emotional state at a particular time. In your brain, the neurotransmitters are what determine how often these severe mood swings are一any unusual activity like skipping a meal or not getting enough sleep can make a change on these neurotransmitters and therefore, in your mood.
When these mood swings become severe, they can be indicative of mental illness, or a physical disease. Only mental health specialists can help with managing severe mood swings.
Severe Mood Swings & Mental Health
As you already know, having constant mood swings is directly connected to your mental health. When you go from being irritable to sad and then euphoric, it means that there’s an imbalance in the chemicals of your brain. Some of the mental disorders that include severe mood swings as a symptom are:
- Bipolar disorder.
- Major depressive disorder.
- Borderline personality disorder.
- Attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD).
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Remember, if you or any of your loved ones are facing severe mood swings in their daily life, the best option is to seek out mental health professionals that can approach their problems effectively.
4 Causes For Severe Mood Swings
Severe mood swings aren’t just related to neurodivergent patients一they can also be triggered by their daily habits, chronic illnesses, life stage, etc. The most common 4 causes behind mood swings are:
- Stress
- Life Stage Changes
- Chronic Diseases
- Medications
1. Stress
Sleeping only a few hours at night, not having enough meals during the day, a daily routine without a moment of proper rest一these are the horsemen of stress. Suffering from chronic stress in your life can trigger sudden mood swings and other physical symptoms.
2. Life Stage Changes
When you go through a specific stage of your life that comes with physical and hormonal changes, your mood swings will be challenged. During moments of development and changes in your lifestyle such as your adolescence, pregnancy or menopause, your emotions go through highs and lows.
3. Chronic Diseases
Suffering from a chronic illness such as type 1 diabetes, hypothyroidism, heart disease, epilepsy and many others, makes you vulnerable to having mood swings. These can stem directly from physical effects or the stress of managing a life-long illness.
4. Medications
After being prescribed a new medication, some patients can perceive having severe mood swings as a side effect. Corticosteroids, stimulants, antidepressants and others can alter your brain chemistry and hormones, often resulting in you having sudden mood swings and other symptoms.
South Plains Can Help You
As mental health professionals, we understand that having severe mood swings can impact your loved ones’ life negatively. To lead a healthy, peaceful life, it’s important to prioritize one’s mental and emotional health.
If you want to encourage a family member to seek out mental health services, or you want to book an appointment for yourself, South Plains Rural Health Services is ready to help. We offer talk therapy, medication and behavioral change management to help our patients achieve a stable mental and emotional state. You can find us by reaching our offices in Levelland, Lamesa, or Big Spring, Texas or using our online tool to book an appointment.