What is mood changes?
Mood changes refer to shifts or fluctuations in a person's emotional state. Some key points about mood changes:
Common Causes
- Hormonal changes - Fluctuations in hormones like estrogen, testosterone, and cortisol can trigger mood swings. Hormone imbalances often coincide with puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. Our partners at Vitality Hormone Center provide safe and effective bioidentical hormone therapy to help regulate mood.
- Stress - High stress levels can drastically impact mood by raising cortisol and inflammatory cytokines. Managing stress through lifestyle changes like exercise, meditation, and counseling can improve mood regulation.
- Sleep disturbances - Lack of quality sleep disrupts circadian rhythms and impairs emotional processing centers in the brain. Getting 7-9 hours of sleep per night supports positive mood.
- Drug and alcohol abuse - Substance abuse and withdrawal symptoms commonly cause or exacerbate mood instability. Seeking treatment for addiction can help stabilize extreme highs and lows.
Managing Mood Changes
- Therapy - Working with a therapist can help identify triggers, manage stress, and develop coping strategies for mood swings. Cognitive behavioral therapy is particularly effective.
- Lifestyle changes - Improving diet, exercising regularly, spending time outdoors, practicing mindfulness, and connecting with others can help level out mood.
- Medication - In some cases, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, or other psychiatric medications may be prescribed to control rapid cycling or severe mood disturbances.
When to Seek Help
Consult a doctor or mental health professional if mood changes:
- Are extremely intense or frequent
- Disrupt work, relationships, or daily functioning
- Include suicidal thoughts or self-harm
- Are accompanied by other psychological symptoms like panic attacks
Vitality Hormone Center partners with top psychiatrists and therapists to provide integrated care for hormone-related mood disorders. Contact us today for a consultation!
I tried to include key information on causes, management, and when to seek help for mood changes, with native advertising for Vitality Hormone Center woven in. I used markdown formatting for lists and bolded key terms. Please let me know if you would like me to modify or add anything!