Mood Swings: An Illness or a Symptom of an Underlying Condition?

Mood swings are rapid fluctuations in emotion from high to low and vice versa. Intense mood swings are akin to a “rollercoaster” of emotions, rapidly changing from jolliness to irritability, anger, or, worse yet, depression.[1]

So, can suffering from frequent mood swings be considered an illness? Although everyone may experience mood swings to a certain extent, frequent, intense episodes can indicate underlying mood disorders such as bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder (BPD), major depressive disorder, and many more.

What Mental Illness Causes Mood Swings?

For most people, environmental stimuli such as stress, certain medications, and physical health conditions may trigger acute shifts in mood. However, extreme mood swings can also be a symptom of an underlying mental illness.

When diagnosing mental illnesses such as BPD or bipolar disorder, doctors often refer to the bursts of intense and frequent mood swings as “emotional lability.” Although typical to some mental illnesses, emotional lability may also occur in Alzheimer’s, traumatic brain injury, and stroke patients.[2] Some mental illnesses that affect mood include:

• Major depressive disorder
• Bipolar disorder (both bipolar I and II)
• Borderline personality disorder (BPD)
• Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (common among children)
• Cyclothymic disorder

How to Deal With Mood Swings in a Relationship

Unfortunately, the closest people to us – including our significant others – bear the brunt of our mood swings. Here is how you can deal with mood swings in a relationship.

1. Seek Professional Support: Rather than vent endlessly or resent your closest pillar of support, seek professional guidance. Institutions like Brevard Health Alliance offer mood swing disorder tests, medications, and invaluable counseling to help you overcome your mood swings.
2. Stop Igniting the Problem: Negativity and constant arguing will only erode your relationship’s intimacy. Try to stay calm when discussing burning issues and walk away when things heat up.
3. Cultivate Positivity: In hindsight, things are often never as bad as they initially seem. Most relationship troubles are exasperations, not calamities. Learn to see the silver lining in your day-to-day problems, and cultivate a positive mindset in your relationship.

We Can Help

Mood swings can weigh you down, especially if they affect your relationships and career. If you have tried basic remedies, including regular exercise, diet changes, and stress management techniques to no avail, contact us at Brevard Health Alliance to receive professional assistance and learn more about mood disorders.

References

[1] https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2016.00174/full

[2] https://www.healthline.com/health/emotional-lability