What is mood changes?
Mood refers to a person's pervasive emotional state. Moods are usually less specific, less intense and last longer than emotional reactions to situations.
Some key terms related to mood:
- Euthymia: a normal, non-depressed, reasonably positive mood. This is the baseline many people experience day-to-day.
- Dysthymia: a chronically depressed or gloomy mood that persists for years at a time.
- Emotional lability: frequent, rapid mood shifts. Common in borderline personality disorder.
- Anhedonia: inability to feel pleasure from normally enjoyable activities. Associated with depression.
Mood changes refer to shifts in a person's baseline or typical emotional state. There are various reasons mood changes can occur:
- Hormonal fluctuations: Changes in hormones like estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and cortisol can alter mood. Puberty, the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause involve major hormonal changes.
- Stress: High stress often changes people's typical mood state. Stressors like job loss, divorce or the death of a loved one can trigger mood disorders for some people.
- Medications: Some prescription drugs list mood changes as a potential side effect. This includes corticosteroids, antihypertensive drugs and some pain medications.
- Drug/alcohol withdrawal: Stopping chronic, heavy use of depressants like alcohol or opioids often causes mood instability and dysphoria. The protracted withdrawal process can last for months.
- Medical illnesses: Conditions like thyroid disease, stroke, diabetes, dementia and autoimmune disorders have mood symptoms. Poor regulation of blood sugar, inflammation, brain changes can contribute.
- Mental illness: Mood disorders by definition involve persistent shifts in a person's emotional state. This includes major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, SAD, PMS, and other conditions categorized in the DSM.
In many cases, mood changes are normal reactions to life events or fluctuations in our body. However, pronounced, persistent or dysfunctional mood changes may require assessment by a doctor or mental health professional. Treatments like lifestyle changes, therapy and medication can help manage difficult mood issues.