Alester Brown

6 Causes of Mood Swings

Mood swings occur when a person experiences a sudden and unexpected change in their emotional state. You can be otherwise happy before switching to sad or irritable at the drop of a hat. There are many ways to get help for mood swings, but what causes them in the first place?

Bipolar Disorder

Mood swings are a common symptom of bipolar disorder. This condition causes people to experience periods of emotional highs and lows. Changes can occur over time, but individuals often experience those highs and lows several times a year.

In addition to bipolar disorder, mood swings can come from cyclothymia. It also comes with emotional changes but is less extreme than bipolar disorder.

Depressive Disorders

Conditions like major depressive disorder (MDD) and persistent depressive disorder (PDD) also cause mood swings. The former is a common issue that affects millions of people. Meanwhile, the latter is rarer and can result in depressive symptoms for two years or more.

Other Mental Health Issues

Mood swings are a common symptom of several conditions. It occurs in people with schizophrenia, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD). Depending on the severity, mental health care providers may recommend patients get help for mood swings as part of their treatment plan.

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)

Here's a cause that only affects women. PMS occurs before the menstrual cycle. Hormonal changes cause various issues, including mood swings, depression, fatigue, etc.

Women can also experience mood swings due to premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). A more severe form of PMS often comes with extreme mood swings.

Substance Abuse

Individuals who take drugs or drink alcohol excessively are at a higher risk of experiencing mood swings. It impacts mental health and can exacerbate symptoms that come with other mental health disorders.

Chronic Illnesses

Many chronic illnesses can cause mood swings. Some of the worst offenders are HIV, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy. Mood swings can arise due to changes in hormones and brain function. However, they can also be indirect and triggered by depression or anxiety.

Author Resource:-

Alester Brown writes about physiotherapy. She advises people on health care, online therapy, anxiety discussion groups & depression message boards. You can find her thoughts at LGBTQ community blog.