Mood swing
A mood swing is an extreme or sudden change of mood. Such changes can play a positive part in promoting problem solving and in producing flexible forward planning,[1] or be disruptive. When mood swings are severe, they may be categorized as part of a mental illness, such as bipolar disorder, where erratic and disruptive mood swings are a defining feature.[2]
"Mood swings" redirects here. For other uses of Mood swing or Mood swings, see Mood swing (disambiguation).Terminology[edit]
Definitions of the terms mood swings, mood instability, affective lability, or emotional lability are commonly similar, which describe fluctuating or oscillating of mood and emotions. But each has unique characteristics that are used to describe specific phenomena or patterns of oscillation.[7][8] Different from emotions or affect,[9] mood associated with emotional responses without knowing the reason (unaware).[10][11]
The dynamics of mood, mood patterns for long times are commonly erratic,[12] labile[13] or instable, also known as euthymic.[14] Although the term of mood swing is unspecific, it may be used to describe a pattern where mood goes down from positive to negative valency immediately (without delay in baseline) at specific periods.[15] And also generally have aperiodic patterns.[16][17] This is because mood dynamics are influenced by various factors which can magnify or lessen fluctuations,[18] such as when expectations become reality or not.[19] Other terms for describing patterns are episodic, periodic, cyclothymia, rapid cycling, mixed states, short episodes, soft spectrum,[20] diurnal variation, etc., although the definition of each term may be unclear.[21]
Overview[edit]
Speed and extent[edit]
Mood swings can happen any time at any place, varying from the microscopic to the wild oscillations of bipolar disorder,[22] so that a continuum can be traced from normal struggles around self-esteem, through cyclothymia, up to a depressive disease.[23] However most people's mood swings remain in the mild to moderate range of emotional ups and downs.[24] The duration of bipolar mood swings also varies. They may last a few hours – ultrarapid – or extend over days – ultradian: clinicians maintain that only when four continuous days of hypomania, or seven days of mania, occur, is a diagnosis of bipolar disorder justified.[25] In such cases, mood swings can extend over several days, even weeks: these episodes may consist of rapid alternation between feelings of depression and euphoria.[26]
Treatment[edit]
It's part of human nature's mood going up and down caused by various factors.[171] Individual strength,[172] coping skill or adaptation ability,[173] social support[174] or another recovery model might determine whether mood swings will create disruption in life or not.[175][176]
Cognitive behavioral therapy recommends using emotional dampeners to break the self-reinforcing tendencies of either manic or depressive mood swings.[177] Exercise, treats, seeking out small (and easily attainable) triumphs, and using vicarious distractions like reading or watching TV, are among the techniques found to be regularly used by people in breaking depressive swings.[178]
Learning to bring oneself down from grandiose states of mind, or up from exaggerated shame states, is part of taking a proactive approach to managing one's own moods and varying sense of self-esteem.[179]
Behavioral activation is a component of CBT that can break the cycle (depression leads to inactivity, inactivity leads to depression).[180] This may rely on individual strengths to "cold start" the reward system.[181]
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): Another manifestation of mood swing is irritability, which can lead to elation, anger or aggression.[182] DBT has a lot of coping skills that can be used for emotion dysregulation, such as mindfulness with the "wise mind"[183] or emotion regulation with opposite action.[184][185]
Emotion regulation therapy (ERT) has a package of mindful emotion regulation skills (e.g., attention regulation skills, metacognitive regulation skills, etc.) that can be handy to have when mood swings happen.[186]
Interpersonal and social rhythm therapy can be used to regulate life rhythm when mood swings happen frequently and disrupt the rhythm of life.[187] Episodes of mood disorder often liberate people from daily routines by making a mess of sleep schedules, social interaction,[188][189] or work and causing irregular circadian rhythms.[190]
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has a function to increase psychological flexibility by learning to assess present experience or be mindful, accept everything internally or externally, commit action to move toward personal recovery, etc.[191]