Do you find it hard to control your emotions, specifically irritability, out of the blue, even if something major hasn’t happened? Mood swings can be due to a culmination of little things that pile up or even the result of having a bad day. However, if you’re commonly experiencing mood swings that you can’t pinpoint the cause of, they may be due to an underlying, undiagnosed mental health issue. Mental health issues can come with a number of debilitating symptoms, and mood swings are a common symptom of a number of mental illnesses including PTSD, depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, and many more. Identifying whether or not you’re living with extreme mood disorders can also help you to identify if you may be living with a mental health issue, so it’s an important thing to consider.
Along with identifying whether or not the extreme mood swings you’re experiencing may be the result of a mental health disorder, it can also be helpful to identify how to manage these mood swings. When you have the tools to manage mood swings when they occur, you can better overcome the impacts that extreme mood swings have on your life and relationships.
It’s important to know that if you are experiencing extreme mood swings, mental health issues may not always be the cause. For example, both hormone imbalances and physical health issues can lead to mood swings as well. Many people who struggle with hormone imbalances, whether it’s due to a menopausal stage of life or thyroid disease can experience mood swings as a result. Typically, these hormonal imbalances can be treated with hormone therapy. Furthermore, physical illness can also lead to symptoms of mood swings and irritability. Some of these physical ailments can include:
As well as physical ailments, taking medication for physical conditions, autoimmune diseases, or neurological issues can also lead to mood swings as these medications can have side effects that include irritability. So, even if you have a chronic condition that may not have symptoms of mood swings, the medications you may be taking for these issues can.
Specific mental health issues known as mood disorders come with a number of symptoms but severe mood swings are one of the most common. Some examples of mood disorders that can provoke symptoms of mood swings include depressive disorders like SAD and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), anxiety disorders like panic disorder or General Anxiety Disorder (GAD), and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
If you find that you may be experiencing mood swings and irritability due to mood disorders, there are a few things that you can implement into your life that can help to manage these symptoms. Some examples of things you can do to manage mood swings include:
If you are struggling with mood disorders and want to overcome the effects of mood swings on your life, help is available to you at Delray Center for Healing. Find out more about our outpatient treatment services for mood disorders on our website.
Dr. Rodriguez founded the Delray Center in 2003 and built it on a foundation of core clinical, professional, and ethical principles that are adhered to still to this day. Dr. Rodriguez founded the Delray Center in 2003 and built it on a foundation of core clinical, professional, and ethical principles that are adhered to still to this day.