What Causes Mood Swings?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCommon Causes of Mood SwingsRisk FactorsCoping

Table of ContentsView All

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Table of Contents

Common Causes of Mood Swings

Risk Factors

Coping

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Mood swings are fast, significant changes in mood. If you’ve ever shifted from a good mood to feeling sullen, sad, or furious, then you know exactly how fast your mood can shift. The “mood swing” phenomenon is commonly used to describe rapidly and intensely fluctuating emotions.

People often describe mood swings as a “roller coaster” of feelings from happiness and contentment to anger,irritability, and even depression.

A person may recognize something that has triggered a shift in theirmood, such as a stressful event at work. But it’s also not uncommon for mood swings to occur without an obvious cause. People may even experience changes in mood if they have an underlying mental health issue.

At a GlanceMood swings happen to everyone for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they have no obvious cause, while in other cases they are tied to specific situational factors. It’s when these mood swings are intense or frequent that they can become troublesome and a sign of something more serious, like a mental health condition. Keep reading to learn more about how to tell the difference between normal variations in mood and mood swings that may require treatment.

At a Glance

Mood swings happen to everyone for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they have no obvious cause, while in other cases they are tied to specific situational factors. It’s when these mood swings are intense or frequent that they can become troublesome and a sign of something more serious, like a mental health condition. Keep reading to learn more about how to tell the difference between normal variations in mood and mood swings that may require treatment.

Everyone experiences mood swings from time to time, but if you seem to get them frequently or they are so intense that they disrupt your daily life, including work and relationships, it may be a sign of an underlying condition that needs treatment.

Understanding the factors that are related to your mood swings can help you better identify the potential causes. Knowing what is causing your mood swings is the key to figuring out how to deal with them effectively.

Illness and Injury

Even though the term “mood swings” implies an emotional root, the shifts also can be associated with chronic diseases or acute injuries that affect the brain, such as dementia, concussion, or a stroke.Other medical conditions, particularly neurological conditions, also can cause mood swings, including:

That’s why it is so important to tell your doctor if you are experiencing mood swings. They can evaluate your symptoms, conduct a physical exam, and run lab tests to help rule out medical causes.

Developmental Stages

Toddlers and young children often appear “moody” and may throw tantrums as they learn to regulate their emotions. While these changes are generally a normal part ofemotional development,mood swings in children also can be a sign of an underlying mental health disorder, learning disability, or even a physical ailment.

For example, kids and teens withattention-deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD) may experience shifts in mood that can interfere with school and friendships.

Allergies

Likewise, feeling unwell can cause you to feel irritable or make it difficult to concentrate, especially if your allergies cause other symptoms like headaches or a sore throat.

Medications

Starting or stopping a prescription medication can affect a person’s mood. While medications such asantidepressantsandmood stabilizersare expected to affect a person’s moods, medications prescribed for other reasons also may cause mood swings as a side effect.

Even though mood changes can be asymptom of depressionor another mental health condition,some medicationsused to treat these disorders can cause changes in mood. Sometimes, these mood shifts indicate that the medication isn’t the right choice for treatment, or that the diagnosis someone has been given may not be correct.

For example, a person who has bipolar disordermay be misdiagnosedwith depression and prescribed medication. But, certain antidepressants may trigger a manic episode in someone with bipolar disorder.Likewise, people who take anabolic steroids can experience intense mood changes, including rage.

Hormones

Other possible causes of mood swings may stem from changes in hormone levels, particularly estrogen. Fluctuations in hormones are normal and are well known to impact mood, such as the periodic changes of the menstrual cycle.

For the same reason, mood swings are also common in response to other causes of shifting levels of hormones, such as pregnancy and menopause.

However, a person’s risk for depression is increased during these times, as well, so mood swings also can be a sign of a mental health condition.

Certain forms of hormonal birth control, such as the Pill, may help ease mood swings associated with the menstrual cycle, but it also has been suggested that changes in mood could be a side effect of these medications. However, more research is needed, as other studies did not find a link between oral contraceptives and mood swings.

Depression

Mood swings are also common with depression, especially if it is untreated. A person’s mood may fluctuate from irritability to extreme sadness to an angry outburst.People who are depressed also may have other symptoms, such as:

Bipolar Disorder

The mood swings for people with bipolar disorder may contain some or all of the symptoms of a depressive or manic/hypomanic episode. A person experiencing an episode of mania may:

During a period of depression, a person with bipolar disorder may:

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat988for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.

How long it takes for the episodes to change a person’s mood to the other end of the spectrum can vary from person to person. People with"rapid-cycling" symptomsmay experience shifts daily or weekly, while others may stay in one type of episode for months or years.

Medications used to treat bipolar disorder may help manage these intense shifts. Of note, researchers are getting better at predicting the mood shifts in people with bipolar disorder, which may help doctors diagnose and treat the condition.

Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline personality disorder(BPD) is another mental health disorder that can cause persistent mood swings. These mood shifts are typically intense and variable and can last from a few hours to a few days.Other symptoms of BPD include:

Mood Swings in Borderline Personality Disorder

Risk Factors for Mood Swings

When it comes to risk factors for mood swings, a number of factors may come into play. However, the biggest contributors to mood swings include diet, sleep, and substance abuse. Here’s a closer look at how these risk factors can increase the likelihood of mood swings.

Diet

A person who is eating a diet that’s nutritionally inadequate or not getting enough to eat may experience mood changes in response to fluctuating blood sugar levels and malnourishment.

For example, if you notice your grouchy coworker has more spring in their step after they have breakfast and a cup of coffee, their bad morning mood may have been stemming fromcaffeine withdrawalor low blood sugar known as hypoglycemia.

Digestive disorders that affect the body’s ability to absorb nutrients, such as celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), have also been associated with mood swings. These conditions also have been linked to specific mental health conditions, such as depression.

The Experts Agree: What You Eat Can Directly Impact Stress and Anxiety

Sleep

Maybe your colleague just isn’t much of a morning person, but their mood naturally lifts as they wake up and they feel more prepared for the day ahead. The body’s circadian rhythm, which is known for influencing when we sleep, also drives our mood throughout the day to a certain extent.

Substance Abuse

People who are dealing withsubstance use disordersalso may be more prone to experiencing extreme shifts in mood, especially when they are unable to get or use a substance. They also may experience mood swings when they are trying to quit a drug and experiencing withdrawal.

When misused, medications known to cause mood changes can have especially severe effects. For example, symptoms may be erratic and even life-threatening if a person, such as an athlete, misuses steroid medications.

If a person shows sudden mood swings, are acting highly irrationally, or become suicidal, seek immediate medical care.

How to Cope With Mood Swings

It isn’t easy to live with mood swings, especially if they interfere with your day-to-day life, school or work, and relationships. After all, it’s hard to maintain normalcy in your daily life when your mood is down in the dumps (or when it feels like you’re walking on cloud nine).

Best Mood Tracker Apps

Changes in mood that are frequent and intense should be discussed with your doctor, as you will need to figure out the underlying medical and/or mental health causes before you can effectively treat them.

Medications called mood stabilizers, psychotherapy or counseling, and interventions such ascognitive behavioral therapy(CBT) may be helpful if an underlying mental illness is causing mood swings or making them worse.

How to Manage Mood SwingsYou may be able to manage less frequent, mild, or occasional mood swings on your own, especially if you have a good sense of what triggers them. The first step is identifying factors in your life and environment, such as stress, poor sleep, or skipping your morning coffee, that precede or cause your mood swings.To better manage and cope with these changes in mood, you may want to experiment with different approaches, such as:Getting regular exerciseMaking changes to your dietLearningstress managementtechniquesAdjusting your nightly routine to improve sleepAddressing any substance use issues in your life

How to Manage Mood Swings

You may be able to manage less frequent, mild, or occasional mood swings on your own, especially if you have a good sense of what triggers them. The first step is identifying factors in your life and environment, such as stress, poor sleep, or skipping your morning coffee, that precede or cause your mood swings.To better manage and cope with these changes in mood, you may want to experiment with different approaches, such as:Getting regular exerciseMaking changes to your dietLearningstress managementtechniquesAdjusting your nightly routine to improve sleepAddressing any substance use issues in your life

You may be able to manage less frequent, mild, or occasional mood swings on your own, especially if you have a good sense of what triggers them. The first step is identifying factors in your life and environment, such as stress, poor sleep, or skipping your morning coffee, that precede or cause your mood swings.

To better manage and cope with these changes in mood, you may want to experiment with different approaches, such as:

Takeaways

If mood swings are hard to manage on your own or are interfering in different aspects of your daily life, it’s important to talk to your doctor. They can evaluate your symptoms, rule out medical causes, and make recommendations that can help. This may involve talking to a mental health professional and following a treatment plan that involves therapy, medications, or both.

Once you get to the bottom of what is causing your mood swings, you’ll be better prepared to manage them effectively.

Coping With ADHD Mood Swings

17 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

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