Understanding Mood Swings: Causes, Symptoms & Impact

A person who has mood swings will experience her mood go up and down in as little time as a few minutes, or she can go as long as a few years between spells. Severe mood swings can alter quality of life.

Baseline

• A person's baseline mood is usually consistent. It can be slightly elevated or slightly depressed, but it is what he would call how he feels when he feels "normal."

Depression

• Depression occurs when a person feels her mood swing down. She might have low motivation, problems concentrating, feel sad for no reason, cry, have irregular eating habits and even have suicidal thoughts.

Mania

• Mania describes when a person has a high mood. He might feel overly happy and energetic, with careless spending habits or sexual exploits, or he may be extremely irritable. He will probably have a hard time eating and sleeping. He won't need rest because he has a ton of energy.

Hypomania

• Hypomania isn't as severe as mania, but can still be a problem. It has symptoms of mania, but to a lesser degree.

When to See a Doctor

• If you have mood swings that are interfering with your life, you may want to see a doctor to help manage your mood swings. There are many kinds of medicines that can keep you at your baseline.