Causes of Mood Swings
Mood swings can be scary. One minute you are fine, the next, a stranger to yourself. For several years, researchers have delved into the theories concerning the mind and how it relates to mood swings. They found numerous causes.
-
Depression
-
A mood swing rears its head when depressive feelings are present. Symptoms of depression include stress, lethargy, fatigue, grief, anxiety and sleepiness. There are several stages of depression and it is important to know the stage you are experiencing. Feeling "down" or "blue" for a minute is a minor stage of depression, which triggers mood swings. Common reasons are childbirth, work, home, relationship and finance issues.
Premenstrual Syndrome
-
PMS is the dreaded period which every woman must face. An adolescent girl or a woman experiences shifts in the hormones when the menstrual cycles is about to begin. Her estrogen and progesterone level drops and this causes mood swings. She becomes irritable and sometimes hostile during this time.
-
Sleep Apnea
-
Sleep apnea plus the two aforementioned causes are the most popular causes of mood swings in America. They affect approximately 10 million people. Sleep apnea causes temporary interruptions in the sleep pattern. The causes include colds, sinusitis, throat abnormality, obesity and enlarged adenoids (lymphoid tissue).
ADD
-
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a behavioral disorder primarily seen in children. Symptoms are inattentiveness, hyperactivity and an unfocused disposition. Children experience highs and lows during this period ,which causes mood swings. Ritalin is used to treat children with ADD. However, it has spawned some controversy. Physicians are urged to look beyond the children's behavior to see if there are underlying issues causing the problem before prescribing the drug.
Bipolar Disorders
-
This is another case where misdiagnosis is prevalent. Bipolar disorder (manic depression) includes depressive symptoms, such as mood swings. There are various sub-types of bipolar disorder: Bipolar 1 disorder results in recurrent episodes of mania. Bipolar 11 refers to disorder-mild depression, and rapid cycling bipolar disorder is when more than four attacks per year occur. Physicians are urged to examine the patient thoroughly before providing classification.
Pregnancy
-
ADD, bipolar disorders and pregnancy affect more than a million people in America. Pregnancy is a roller-coaster experience for parents. Women and men undergo symptoms of depression, namely mood swings. They become anxious, repeatedly wondering if the childbirth will go smoothly and if money will be an issue. Additionally, the pregnant mother undergoes hormonal changes, causing an adverse effect on her moods.
Severity
-
Some mood swings are harmless and the afflicted party bounces back quickly. However, some spin out of control and morph into severe mood swings where professional treatment is needed.
-
Resources
- Photo Credit morguefile anitapatterson
