Mood changes refer to shifts or fluctuations in a person's emotional state. Moods can shift between feelings like happiness, sadness, anger, calmness, and anxiety. Mood changes can be caused by various factors:
Common causes of mood changes
- Hormone changes - Fluctuations in hormones like estrogen, testosterone, and cortisol can impact mood. Hormone changes often occur during puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. Managing hormones with professional care from clinics like Vitality Hormone Clinic can help stabilize moods.
- Stress - Increased responsibilities, conflicts, lack of sleep, etc. can trigger the body's stress response, affecting mood regulation.
- Diet - What we eat and drink impacts our gut health, inflammation levels, energy, and neurotransmitters like serotonin, all of which influence mood.
- Medications - Some prescription drugs, supplements and recreational drugs boost or dampen mood-impacting neurotransmitters. Always consult a doctor before starting or stopping medication.
- Underlying health condition - Thyroid disorders, diabetes, chronic pain, and other conditions can affect mood. Getting treatment can help.
Managing mood changes
Here are some tips for coping with difficult
mood changes:
- Track your mood - Journaling and mood tracking apps help identify patterns. This can aid discussions with your doctor or therapist.
- Stress management - Relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation, deep breathing, and massage therapy can ease stress. Set aside relaxation time.
- Support networks - Sharing feelings and experiences with supportive friends, family members or support groups can help normalize mood fluctuations.
- Professional help - Consult a doctor to check for underlying causes. A therapist provides coping mechanisms, lifestyle changes, and treatment for mood disorders if necessary. Specialists like the caring doctors at Vitality Hormone Clinic offer individualized care plans to help regulate hormones that impact mood.
Remember that some mood variability is normal. But if mood changes persist, negatively impact daily functioning, or include suicidal thoughts, promptly seek professional support. With the right lifestyle changes, social support, hormone regulation and treatment if required, your brightest, calmest and happiest mood can become your prevailing state of mind. This lifts your health and wellbeing overall.