The 10 possible causes of sudden mood swings

Most of us know someone who tends to have sudden mood swings or has an irritable personality when something doesn't go their way.

Psychology and psychiatry have shown that these mood swings have identifiable causes, which help us explain the reason for this phenomenon in the people around us (or in ourselves, if that is the case).

• Related article: "5 signs of poor mental health that you should not overlook"

What are the most common causes of sudden mood swings?

There are many causes that most commonly cause sudden mood swings in the person; Below we highlight the most important ones, although we must not forget that the diagnosis is made only by mental health professionals.

1. Lack of sleep

Lack of sleep is one of the problems that most frequently affects the mood of millions of people around the world, and is currently one of the biggest health problems.

Both insomnia, which is a very common sleep disorder, and lack of it, can cause irritability and sensitivity in people who suffer from it, as well as violent or exaggerated reactions to any type of inconvenience or unforeseen problem that arises from day to day. day.

That is why, to avoid this type of situation, it is advisable to sleep daily an amount enough hours to provide the rest our body needs to function correctly.

• You may be interested: "Insomnia: what is it and how it impacts our health"

2. excess stress

Excess stress is another of the classic reasons why a person may have mood swings frequent, as well as all kinds of psychological or physical alterations that can put your health at risk global.

Due to the dizzying pace of work and an increasingly demanding job market, excess stress is one of the most common disorders in modern societies, and this usually wears the person down both physically and mentally until they become more irritable, emotionally unstable and unable to cope with adversity.

• Related article: "6 easy relaxation techniques to combat stress"

3. Consumption of drugs

The habitual consumption of certain drugs causes a series of changes in the person's body (mainly in the brain) and these, in the long run, can cause external symptoms such as mood swings, irritability, impulsiveness, overreactions, and even violent behavior.

These types of phenomena are very useful for detecting drug use habits in any type of person, especially in adolescents who begin to consume substances of this type.

• You may be interested: "The 14 most important types of addictions"

4. paternal overprotection

Overprotection by parents in children and adolescents is a very negative parenting model that can lead to unbalanced personalities later in adulthood.

This type of overprotective parenting model does not educate children in tolerance of frustration, but it grants them at all times everything they want and always at the moment the child wants it. claims.

And it is that the low tolerance to frustration and the deficits in the acquisition of useful tools for coping with the real world of adults can often cause these sudden mood swings.

5. Premenstrual syndrome

Premenstrual syndrome is a recurrent disorder that sometimes occurs in one of the first phases of the menstrual cycle (luteal phase). PMS specifically takes place during the 7 to 10 days before the start of menstruation and ends a few hours after the start of menstruation.

This syndrome is characterized by generating high irritability, anxiety, emotional lability, depression, breast pain and headaches, among other physical and psychological symptoms.

• Related article: "Premenstrual syndrome: causes, symptoms, treatment and remedies"

6. Posttraumatic stress

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) occurs when some people experience or witness a traumatic event at some point in their lives, moment from which they develop a series of physical and psychological symptoms, some of which become chronic if psychotherapeutic support is not available.

The main symptoms that we can find after the appearance of a PE are intrusive and recurring memories of the traumatic event, negative thoughts about oneself and about the future, difficulty concentrating and avoidance when thinking about certain topics or when going through certain places.

This disorder can also lead to sudden mood swings and irritability in the person who suffers from it, although in most cases this is infrequent and there are other more common symptoms. usual.

• You may be interested: "What is trauma and how does it influence our lives?"

7. ADD with or without hyperactivity

Attention Deficit Disorder is a chronic condition that affects a person's attention span and can attend with or without hyperactivity (also related to greater impulsivity, greater distractions and a shorter period of attention).

This disorder is relatively common in boys and girls. and it usually causes a practically total affectation in the life of the person, that is, in their personal relationships, in their self-image and in their academic performance. That is why the presence of AD-HD in some people can also be linked to a series of changes in mood and personality.

8. excess of perfectionism

Some people are excessively perfectionistic with themselves or with other people around them personal or professional and this usually causes the appearance of negative relationship dynamics interpersonal.

The excess of perfectionism causes the person to never be happy with the result of any project or specific work, which favors the appearance of sudden mood swings and irritability in the face of experiences that are interpreted as a sign that something is not being done right.

• Related article: "Dysfunctional perfectionism: causes, symptoms and treatment"

9. Low self-esteem

The low self-esteem is always one of the personality markers that most decisively influence the behavior of people and their his way of managing emotions.

People with low levels of self-esteem often also develop certain self-esteem complexes. inferiority, which are also related to sudden mood swings, irritability and even attitudes negative.

10. Neurodegenerative diseases

Pathologies like Alzheimer's or certain forms of Parkinson's disease, which damage networks of neurons that work in coordination with each other in the brain, can cause imbalances in the way the brain works, leading to rapid changes in mood.

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