Mood Swings

Mood Swings

Overview of Mood Swings: Some moodiness is likely a part of everyone’s life; sometimes we feel happy, other times we are sad; some days we have lots of energy, while at other times we may be fatigued and unmotivated. When such mood changes interfere with our ability to work or go to school, when they harm our relationships significantly, when they cause us to miss sleep, abuse drugs, or behave in ways we later regret, or when they lead to risky behaviors, thoughts of suicide, or losing touch with reality, our mood requires professional attention.

The Medical Model and Mood Swings: A persistent low mood is an indication of clinical depression. A mood that is euphoric, that causes us to feel invincible or grandiose, that keeps us awake for days without sleep, or that leads to impulsive behavior is an indicator of a manic episode. If our mood cycles from low to high, a diagnosis of bipolar disorder is possible.

Severe mood swings without an identifiable trigger may have some chemical component to them. Bipolar disorder is known to have a genetic element. Sometimes, mood issues can be addressed without medication. For many people, however, prescription medications are essential to prevent severe mood problems from interfering with their lives in profound ways.

Case Examples of Mood Swings:

Brittany, 25, presents herself for therapy complaining of “moodiness.” Sometimes she is so tired she doesn’t even get out of bed for 2 or 3 days. Other times, she feels so excited, she doesn’t know what to do with herself, and ends up drinking excessive amount of alcohol to go to sleep. Yet most of the time she feels fine. The therapist identifies the symptoms of bipolar disorder, and recommends a medication evaluation. Brittany does not want to take medications, however she agrees to try a small dosage at the recommendation of a psychiatrist. She finds her mood is more stable and she is able to return to a normal sleep schedule and cease abusing alcohol. She remains in therapy to work on the feelings of depression that still sometimes arise, and find they subside for the most part after several months of insight work.

David, 49, complains of mood swings. He is worried he might “be bipolar”, and has heard the illness gets worse with age. However, a review of his symptoms indicates a more mild moodiness, and the therapist begins to uncover with David his self-image, his spiritual beliefs, and the strengths of his relationships. Therapy work helps Dave manage his mood swings and they diminish in frequency and intensity over several months without the use of medication.

Therapy for Mood Swings: There is a wide range of Psychotherapy Treatment Models or types of therapy used in the treatment of mood swings. Most of these approaches fall into three historic camps of psychology: Psychoanalytic / Psychodynamic approaches; Behaviorism and; Humanism. Regardless of the type of therapy, there are some generally agreed upon elements of healthy therapy which are universal to all forms of psychotherapy. Before beginning therapy for mood swings or any other issue, it is helpful to familiarize oneself with these elements.

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