Changeable mood psychology. Causes of mood swings in women, men and children
Frequent change sentiments usually seen in women. Puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause are moments in a woman's life when extreme emotions seem inevitable. All because of the "hormonal storm".
However, sometimes the so-called mood swings may indicate a mental illness that affects both women and men.
Frequent mood swings - causes
Chemical imbalance in the brain
When the process of formation of such hormones of "happiness" as serotonin or dopamine, is broken, then mood swings appear. The subject may then experience a rapid alternation of feelings of depression, anxiety, happiness, stress, and fear. To make sure that the level of hormones is normal, you should contact an endocrinologist.
Dementia
Dementia or senile dementia is a progressive disease of the brain, which is characterized by a decrease in all higher cognitive functions.
Manifested, in particular, by a decrease in the ability to think and rapid mood changes, and the emotions that affect the behavior of patients have low level. The number of ways to express feelings is also reduced.
People suffering from senile dementia need to take appropriate medications and get support from those around them (although this can be difficult given the nature of the disease).
Brain tumor
A brain tumor (usually in the frontal lobe) is rare cause mood changes. In such cases, it is necessary to use the means of treating the tumor (up to surgical removal).
Head injury
Head injuries can cause personality problems, attention deficits, reduced concentration levels, and mood swings.
Side effects from medication
Some drugs may cause temporary mood swings (eg, hormone replacement therapy, antihyperactivity drugs, antiepileptic drugs). In such a situation, it is necessary to consult a doctor to change the drug.
Stress
People who are constantly stressed may experience mood swings, along with the feeling that no one understands them. Sometimes stress can lead to mental disorders and extreme behavior.
puberty
Adolescents, during puberty, experience emotional and psychological changes that cause disturbances in the normal way of life.
It is worth knowing that puberty is more difficult for men, because the volume of testosterone produced can increase dramatically within a few months, which leads to hormonal shock.
In girls during puberty, estrogen levels quadruple within a few years. However, like all boys, they become more nervous, sensitive, and their mood is very changeable.
Premenstrual syndrome
Strong emotions affect the behavior of women at the end of the cycle. This so-called premenstrual syndrome which is the result of hormonal fluctuations. Changes in mood are accompanied by worsening physical condition therefore appear apathy and irritability.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy causes hormonal fluctuations in a woman's body (alternate increase and decrease in estrogen levels). In addition, some pregnant women may have low self-esteem due to physical changes occurring in the body, and the inability to perform certain duties.
In such a situation, "mood swings" are something completely normal, and the absence of this type of reaction can be an alarming symptom.
Menopause
Women also experience mood swings during menopause. They are called hormonal changes during menopause: estrogen levels decrease.
It is a hormone that affects the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter responsible for regulating mood. Therefore, women during menopause may experience, alternately, sadness and depression, joy or states of euphoria.
Mood swings and mental illness
Also, some mental disorders can cause mood swings. In this case, the help of a psychiatrist is needed.
ADHD
Patients suffering from ADHD are hyperactive, impulsive, and sudden mood swings. This is because a hyperactive person first acts as they feel, and then think about the consequences of their actions.
In this regard, he cannot cope with his variable emotions that affect his own behavior, and tries to limit his reactions so that they are not burdensome for him and his immediate environment.
Depression
Usually, the term depression is used to define a temporary deterioration in mood, the blues. In fact, depression is a disease that causes pathological changes moods.
There are several types of depression. The most benign variant of the disease is dysthymia, that is, chronic nervous depression, depressive personality disorder.
Bipolar disorder
The most serious type of depression is bipolar disorder, i.e. cyclophrenia. In patients with cyclophrenia, pathological mood changes are observed, and even a tendency to dangerous behavior.
Patients, as a rule, are not able to regulate their mood in accordance with the situation (for example, they react with sadness to joyful events).
borderline personality
The behavior of people suffering from borderline disorder is influenced by very strong, extreme emotions, such as feelings of love alternating with hatred. Because of this, it is difficult for them to establish close relationships.
Intermittent Eruption Disorder (IED)
People suffering from IED, without any objective reason, literally "explode into anger" that they are not able to control, after which their condition returns to normal. People with IEDs are a huge danger because, in a fit of very strong emotions, they can harm another person.
alcohol disease
Alcohol affects the central nervous system, which causes changes in mood, thinking, and behavior. Initially, and for a short period of time, alcohol causes relaxation, a state of euphoria and excitement (this is due to the inhibition of control mechanisms), in order to cause a feeling of fatigue, slowdown and drowsiness in the second phase of its action.
Mood swings are a common occurrence in the human psyche. There comes a time in every person's life when mood swings are much better expressed and more frequent. Think back to adolescence, constant mood swings during pregnancy in women, during hormonal treatment, at the time of sudden life changes, etc. These mood swings are situational and temporary.
What to look out for
Attention should be paid to other cases of unreasonable sudden changes in mood. On the street is coming rain, clothes are torn, late for transport and, therefore, the mood changes, the person immediately plunges into despondency and a gloomy mood, everything seems to him in dark colors. There are no troubles and no solid setbacks for such a change. But even some pleasant conversation, informative news, a compliment - in an instant can cheer you up and even distract you from real troubles.
In most cases, such frequent and sharp fluctuations can also be accompanied by a depth emotional experiences. In this case, well-being, and sleep, and ability to work, and appetite, as well as the desire to be alone or in company, may depend on the mood. Also, relationships between the same people can contribute to a rapid change in mood, whether they are friendly or unpleasant.
People with sharp and constant shifts moods, it is difficult to communicate and interact with other people, they experience problems in the family and at work, often suffer from feelings of emotional dissatisfaction, misunderstanding of others, inner loneliness.
Since our life is filled with various events, it cannot be only in joy and happiness. Our emotions work exactly like colored glasses, that is, we have the choice to determine what kind of world is around us.
What to do?
Frequent and abrupt mood swings, if this does not change from the situation and is not temporary, may indicate deeper crisis states of the individual. It is important to remember that you do not need to intimidate yourself with possible consequences, but you should not dismiss and ignore what is bothering you either.
Frequent mood swings can be a signal of stress (ptsd), internal conflict, depression, hormonal imbalance in the body, the result of overwork, the consequences of conflict in relationships (including in the past), etc. As a rule, consultation of an endocrinologist, therapist, psychologist-psychotherapist is required.
Faced with failure or experiencing loss, any of us grieve, feel sadness, despair. But for some people, such conditions occur without visible reasons and can last quite a long time, expressed in a loss of interest in life, fatigue, drowsiness. Their mood can change frequently, sometimes several times a day. “It happens that the morning starts well,” says 30-year-old Nina, “it’s easy on the heart, and suddenly gloom comes from somewhere. Everything annoys me ... and after a few minutes it passes, as if it had never happened!
reality principle
A person with mood swings is called a cyclothymic. “This instability is manifested in emotions and in behavior. Irritability, accelerated speech, excitement or excessive pessimism during the day or week are replaced by opposite states, ”explains clinical psychologist Alexander Tkhostov. Cyclothymics find it difficult to control themselves, they tend to explode when faced with the slightest obstacle. A traffic jam or a broken washing machine is enough to make them angry. Such susceptibility indicates a person's inability to endure frustration - an emotional state that occurs if the situation gets out of control. “These fickle adults are like children who do not yet know how to take into account the principle of reality and show patience on the way to the desired goal,” adds clinical psychologist Gill-Eric Leininger-Molinier (Gill-Eric Leininger-Molinier).
“It was like two people lived in me”
“My mood swings began at the age of 17. I woke up in a great mood, at breakfast I started to sob, during the day I was active, and in the evening I fell into apathy and did not understand the reasons for my condition at all. Since then, I periodically experienced something similar, especially in the spring. By the age of 25, my friends called me hysterical, my colleagues considered me unbearable. I was afraid that everyone would turn their backs on me. I'm tired of having two different people living in me. I decided to consult a psychologist. Meetings with him were painful for me at first, but as a result, I realized that my cyclothymia originated in childhood, when I was separated from my parents for a long time, without explaining the reasons. Understanding this helped me regain control of my emotions.”
Children's frustration
“Cyclothymia is facilitated by the situation in which early childhood the mother alternately keeps the child in excessive proximity (practically in symbiosis), then pushes him away from herself, notes Alexander Tkhostov. - As a result of fluctuations in her mood and behavior, it is difficult for a child to learn to endure frustration, to become independent. In his psyche, as it were, there is no middle ground: everything that happens to him, he perceives polarity - as absolute happiness or extreme unhappiness.
loss denial
Such changes are not only difficult for others who do not know what to expect from cyclothymic, but above all complicate life for him. “When a son doesn’t obey or a husband starts arguing, I often can’t control my emotions, and I don’t understand where they come from,” 43-year-old Zhanna complains. Do not blame yourself: psychological trauma may be hidden behind such behavior. The death of significant people, separations, combined with a family prohibition on experiencing sadness and grief can lead to cyclothymia. If a child was considered “too sensitive” and called a crybaby for showing emotions, then as an adult, he may experience periods of depressed mood, accompanied by feelings of guilt.
What to do?
- Step back. If you suddenly feel unexplained sadness or irritation on empty place, try to understand what they are caused by. Understanding the cause of your frustration, assessing how important it is to you (on the scale of your entire life), this will help you take control of your emotions.
- Find an outlet for your emotions. Yoga, qigong, martial arts and breathing exercises help you realize your own strengths and bring harmony to body and soul. You will learn to remain calm, to find internal balance and don't lose your presence of mind. These practices free us from feelings of isolation and help us connect with other people.
- Accept yourself. The need to meet a rigid standard of success increases apathy and depression. Accepting oneself in any mood and developing inner independence from public rules you can gain strength and peace of mind.
If among your loved ones there is a person whose cheerfulness is replaced by periods of longing, try to be patient. Don't exacerbate the situation by expressing your anger or rejecting the cyclothymic: he is already prone to self-flagellation, and any remark hurts him. Maintain dialogue. Tell him about times when his behavior has hurt you. It is important that he realizes that you are not to blame for the obstacles that he faces, so he is interested in revealing the true reasons for his behavior.
Mood swings are a phenomenon that every human subject suffers from at times. However, if emotions interfere with life, interfering with a normal existence, then specialized help is needed here. In medical science, mood swings are referred to as an affective disorder, the first sign of which is considered to be frequent mood swings. A person suffering from the described deviation, in a short period of time, can endure the whole gamut of sensations from boundless happiness to all-encompassing hatred. The main symptoms of this disorder can be considered the inadequacy and unpredictability of behavioral response, sudden unreasonable attacks of aggressiveness, suspicion, impaired concentration.
Reasons for mood swings
The deviation in question may indicate a mental disorder. In psychiatric science, frequent mood swings are considered a sign of affective instability, which is often a specific sign of mental disorder, such as:
- hysterical disorder, manifested by superficial knowledge and excessive theatricality of emotions;
- mixed states of mood disturbance (lasting up to a week), characterized by the simultaneous presence of depressive manifestations and manic symptoms;
- cyclothymic disorder, which is a chronic pathology lasting 2 years, in which there is a fairly rapid switch from one mood to another;
- bipolar disorders, depressive moods, found in a sudden alternation of manic states (excessively elevated mood level) and depressive states (excessively low mood tone);
- a borderline state due to the inability to build stable, adequate and long-term relationships with society.
Causes that cause sudden mood swings are divided into biological factors, psychological and environmental. The first are due to a change in the numbers of neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine), which are a mood regulator.
The performance of neurotransmitters is impaired when a degenerative pathology of an organic nature (multiple sclerosis) occurs, with hormonal imbalance ( diabetes), due to prolonged or excessive use of psychoactive substances, for example, alcohol-containing drinks or narcotic drugs, when using drugs that directly affect the functioning of neurotransmitters or hormonal metabolism (taking contraceptives). In addition, this deviation can occur during pregnancy or menopause. Also, the failure of the performance of neurotransmitters is affected by puberty and the menstrual cycle.
Psychological causes are intertwined with biological abnormalities. Sudden mood swings can be caused by an anxiety disorder, stressors, or fatigue generated by certain circumstances (for example, the need to take an exam), a collision with a traumatic situation. Environmental factors include weather sensitivity, dependence on climatic conditions. Many people are prone to mood swings triggered by environmental factors such as humidity, temperature indicator, pressure, cloudiness, rainfall.
mood swings in women
Often the concept under consideration is used incorrectly. Many ladies are convinced that they suffer from sharp mood swings, but in reality they simply take the usual shift for a deviation. A change in emotional manifestations is often only an adequate response to the resulting events. A woman can quickly fall into or cry for no apparent reason. This can only indicate her specific character trait, but does not mean that she suffers from mood swings.
It is worth talking about the presence of the described deviation when the transition from fun to sadness occurs instantly in the absence of adequate reasons. Most of the time, mood swings are negative. The symptoms of this violation are rather poor and clearly expressed. First of all, there is a rapid change in mood, which often occurs for no apparent reason. Appetite is also often disturbed. There may be rejection of previously favorite dishes or an increase in appetite, constant tormenting drowsiness, or difficulty falling asleep. The woman becomes irritable, nervous. She is sad for no reason.
The reasons for the described state, first of all, can be hormonal imbalance, caused by menopause, pregnancy, lactation or reorganization of the body at the puberty stage, the use of oral contraceptives, excessive stress levels, constant exposure to stressors, physical inactivity. Also, frequent mood swings can be provoked by the lack of regular and high-quality intimate life, bad habits.
In addition, Eva's daughters are often forced to combine caring for family members with professional, home maintenance, and childcare. This often becomes a provoking factor that gives rise to depressive moods and stress, which are the trigger for a sharp change in emotional response. Also, mood swings can be a sign of serious ailments, for example, anxiety or.
With the latter, the change in emotions occurs suddenly, but there is always a trigger, that is, a circumstance or phenomenon that provokes a change in mood. Such a trigger can be constant lack of sleep, frequent flights to different time zones or climatic zones. Individuals suffering from this particular type of deviation note that the alternation emotional moods occur only on specific days. Therefore, in order to identify the trigger, it is recommended to keep records of events preceding the change in emotions.
Consciously controlling emotions is quite difficult, because they are often irrational. Therefore, women are advised not to set themselves the goal of suppressing emotions during periods of fluctuations. They should simply reduce their own response to sudden mood swings. It is necessary to try to note the moments of change of emotions and stop performing the actions that were performed during the period of the drop. You should also analyze what became the trigger for the alternation of emotions. It is recommended that you give yourself at least a couple of minutes of respite when the described condition occurs. Therefore, you need to postpone everything, relax and think.
You can also fake emotions. When the mood declines, you should try to improve emotions without suppressing their expression. In other words, you can play with your own person in a kind of game. For example, when you should not try to contain the negativity, but create the impression that everything is fine. You can't stop yourself from getting angry or feeling sad. Suppression of the so-called "inappropriate" emotions will only create stress, which will provoke mood swings. By suppressing the manifestations of emotions, the individual drives himself into vicious circle. It is necessary to give freedom to the internal negativity at the same time, demonstrating the externally positive.
In addition, if the above symptoms occur, it is recommended to change the way of existence. Diet, following a rational daily routine, proper nutrition are the key to emotional balance. It is also necessary to try to avoid stressful conditions, devote time to healthy rest and gymnastics. So, for example, swimming, walking, dancing will help improve emotional stability. Rejection bad habits and consumption of alcoholic beverages also plays an important role.
Mood swings in men
Studies show that, despite all the external emotional stability and fortitude, the sons of Adam are also prone to mood swings and depressive moods. At the same time, for some reason, the weak half is convinced that a man is a flint, resistant to irritants from the outside. This is one of the main mistakes of beautiful feminists. In a strong half, the mood can drop sharply due to an insignificant event that a woman will not attach importance to. Eve's daughters forget that their halves have to solve many problems every day, plan for the future, take care of the family's well-being, and also pay attention to the chosen ones and listen to their reproaches. In the field of professional self-realization, many obstacles and surprises await men. Therefore, when they come home, they expect support, comfort, care and tranquility, but they do not always receive it. In addition, family troubles can negatively affect professional activities, which gives rise to new problems, but already at work. The sons of Adam try to experience all this inside, because practically from infancy they were taught to restrain their emotional manifestations.
Family problems, children's illnesses, lack of time, health problems, car breakdown - all this provokes the occurrence of mood swings. Also forty age crisis can be the cause of fluctuations in emotional manifestations in men. Upon reaching the age of forty, men often feel dissatisfaction with the existing reality, anxiety, apathy. It seems to them that they did not have time to get on their feet, raise their children, and fulfill themselves in the profession. They are no longer satisfied with the present. They need to gain some confidence and assert themselves. Therefore, it is at this stage that so often men leave their families or change jobs.
Dissatisfaction breeds mood swings as well as nervous breakdowns that can drive them into a drunken state. Here, a lot begins to depend on the wisdom of the partner. The sons of Adam at the turn of forty need the support of a life partner more than ever. Unfortunately, most women do not realize this and begin to “nag” their spouses, which further aggravates the condition of men. Common causes of this deviation are low rates testosterone or weather events.
How to deal with mood swings?
Before you get rid of mood swings, you need to decide on etiological factor, which gave rise to given state. First of all, it is recommended to delve into your own experiences and feelings. You need to understand what causes a surge of positive emotions, and what gives rise to sadness. For example, maybe there is strong affection emotional nature to a certain individual and any confrontation with him, attitude or actions that differ from the expected actions lead to a decline in mood. Simply put, such emotional bondage from another individual can control the mood of the addict. This is more often characteristic of persons in love, when all feelings are exacerbated to the extreme. Any word of a loved one can plunge into the abyss of sadness or bring to the peak of joy.
In addition to emotional subordination to a loved one, mood swings can also determine the attitude of the boss, the opinions of colleagues, professional achievements or failures. So, for example, praise, material incentives, gratitude seem to inspire a person and he is ready for new achievements and victories. But the slightest setbacks, censure, reproach, lectures can permanently unsettle such a subject.
Also, a sharp change in emotional response is affected by the abuse of alcohol-containing drinks, dependence on smoking, the Internet,. The individual himself may not notice that his mood is sharply declining when it is impossible to immediately satisfy his own passion or need, and when the desired emotion is obtained, it acquires a positive color.
So how do you get rid of mood swings? First of all, it is recommended to calm down. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to add herbal teas, such as mint, to the daily diet. You can also balance your own state by using motherwort tincture, taking valerian officinalis or glycine. At the same time, it should be understood that therapeutic effect will not come quickly, because herbs do not have instant action but give a longer lasting effect.
If mood swings spawned hormonal disbalance, then hormone levels need to be adjusted. To do this, you should contact the endocrinologist, who will prescribe laboratory research, and on the basis of these analyzes will prescribe a course of hormone therapy.
To normalize the emotional response, you need to reconsider the schedule of life. It should include daily walks, good rest. If 60% of the time is occupied by labor activity and thoughts about work, then a person will never be able to get rid of sudden mood swings and feel fully happy. Daily exercise helps to even out the tone of the face, improve mood and improve health.
You can single out another effective way to harmonize emotions - to change something in your own existence. Women can change their image, and then life will sparkle with a variety of colors. A change in professional activity, place of residence, partner or partner will allow you to reconsider your own views on being, and eliminate the described problem.
Physical education also contributes to the stabilization of the emotional state. In the process of making exercise serotonin is released, which is responsible for maintaining positive attitude. In addition, the updated figure will also please its owner.
To stabilize emotions, it is recommended to pamper your own person. For example, you need to allow yourself tasty things even when following a diet that prohibits the use of sweets. Coffee can negatively affect your mood, as excessive caffeine intake causes anxiety and increases blood pressure. A hobby will help to normalize your mood. Any passion is positive emotions. Therefore, it is worth giving yourself to your favorite business when sadness suddenly rolled over. Also the hobby is great for negative consequences the impact of stressors.
Cyclothymia: why the mood jumps for no reason
Each person, having come into contact with a tragic loss or experiencing a major failure, is upset, worried, grieves, sad, often despairs. At the same time that we reach heights and are rewarded for our achievements, we rejoice, rejoice, delight, triumph, enjoy. Changes in mood that occur depending on objective reasons and actually occurring changes - a normal natural state for any living being.
However, there is a category of people in whom mood swings are observed excessively often and spontaneously. Such persons, for no apparent reason, go from heartfelt laughter to miserable tears, from affectionate delight to angry malice. These people may be optimistic and energetic at this moment, and at another moment lose interest in life and feel apathy. Moreover, such mood swings can occur several times a day. Within one day the world from bright, joyful, full of plans and hopes, it turns into a gloomy and terrible abode of Satan.
In this case, it can be assumed that a person has a mental disorder, which is called cyclothymia.
Cyclothymia: general information
The term "cyclothymia" is commonly understood as an excessively frequent causeless change in the emotional state of a person. Cyclothymia is characterized by sharp jumps in activity - from depression (dysthymia) to excitation (hyperthymia). For a person suffering from cyclothymia, a sudden change in mood is characteristic - from melancholy and apathy (depressive state) to euphoria (hypomanic effect).
In people with cyclothymia, there is an inadequate reality, an overly intense reaction to events occurring in environment. In a situation of a positive nature, such persons demonstrate great joy; in the event of a negative color, their emotions are filled with deep tragedy. With positive changes, they are overly talkative and restless, with negative events, people with cyclothymia can fall into a stupor. They explode like a powder keg if even a tiny obstacle is in their way. The smallest problem, such as a broken electric kettle, can lead them into a state of depression, just like finding ten kopecks can cause euphoria.
Close people, work colleagues, friends consider such persons to be quick-tempered, fickle, and often strange persons. Indeed, their nervousness, irritability, fussiness is very striking to others. Their actions and decisions are difficult to predict, their desires and needs are difficult to foresee, their goals and motives are difficult to understand. Such persons are unable to control themselves, cannot follow one line of behavior, do not keep this promise. In a word, communicating with people suffering from cyclothymia, it is impossible to insure against a flurry of surprises they create.
Another feature of cyclothymia is the following: fluctuations in the emotional state can occur in a certain sequence. A person may alternate between a period of high spirits, followed immediately by a period of depression. Such phases of the emotional state can be dual. Also, between these polar states, a phase of mental well-being can occur, when a person’s mood remains constant and does not fluctuate for minor reasons. It is worth noting that the duration of each cycle is individual for each person, as well as the intensity of the phases of depression and mania.
It is precisely because the subject periodically has two polar emotional states, cyclothymia is considered by some doctors to be a mild form of bipolar affective disorder. It should be noted that in individuals suffering from cyclothymia, there is high risk development of manic-depressive psychosis. Therefore, at the first messengers of unjustified and illogical mood swings, it is advisable to consult a psychotherapist and undergo a course of treatment.
Cyclothymia is conditionally divided into several categories depending on the predominance of one or another emotional status. This affective disorder can take the form of a vital, apathetic or anesthetic depression.
Cyclothymia can develop in people regardless of their gender and age, but most often this type of depression manifests itself in adolescence. Since the features of the juvenile stage include the lack of stability in the emotional status, the signs of cyclothymia remain unattended and, accordingly, without treatment. 
According to the data World Organization health care cyclothymia occupies about 5% of all cases of affective disorders. Most of the patients are female, which can be explained by the specific tendency of women to melancholy and their strong impressionability. Doctors suggest that the incidence of cyclothymia is not accurately determined, since the unexpressed symptoms of the disorder are ignored by many contemporaries. This may explain the sad statistics that indicate that affective bipolar disorder is detected in people in the later stages, which makes it difficult to treat the disease.
Cyclothymia: why mood changes constantly
The reasons for the formation and aggravation of cyclothymia have not been sufficiently studied. At the same time, there are a number of proven hypotheses about the origin of affective disorders. One of the most authoritative versions is the theory of genetic predisposition to mental disorders. The study of the family history of patients with cyclothymia confirms that the vast majority of patients had relatives suffering from depression. At risk are persons whose parents or one of them had a manic-depressive psychosis. However, at the moment it has not been possible to establish a gene that is responsible for the formation of psychotic reactions.
The second hypothesis suggests that the cause of the development of cyclothymia is a failure in the production of neurotransmitters and a metabolic disorder in the neurotransmitter system of the body. Very often, cyclothymia starts against the background of diseases endocrine system. An imbalance of hormones leads to lability of the emotional state of a person. Such hormonal disorders are determined during pregnancy and childbirth, at the stage of puberty, in the menopausal phase.
Often the cause of the development of cyclothymia is the intake of certain pharmacological drugs. It has been established that the use of steroids has an extremely negative effect on a person’s mood, provoking his jumps. Symptoms of cyclothymia can be caused by the use of narcotic painkillers as analgesia. Another likely cause of cyclothymia is an imbalance of some chemical substances and compounds in the body. Changes in the concentration of iron and calcium can initiate depressive states.
Often, cyclothymia develops after severe infectious and viral diseases, especially if a foreign harmful agent has had Negative influence on brain cells. Also, the cause of this type of depression can be long-term chronic diseases, especially those accompanied by intense pain. Quite often affective disorders accompany serious heart diseases. Also, cyclothymia can develop in patients who are forced to a long period stay in a hospital environment and must comply with bed rest. Lack of positive emotions, daily monotony, lack of social contacts have a negative impact on the emotional status of a person.
The basis for the emergence of cyclothymia is the specific personal constitution of the individual. At risk of developing depression are people who have accentuated features: nervousness and irritability, suspiciousness and impressionability, resentment and vulnerability. The reason for the development of depression is a person's low self-esteem, his ideas about his own inferiority, uselessness, worthlessness.
Also, the basis for the formation of affective disorders are character flaws that have become a consequence of wrong upbringing in childhood. Excessive guardianship of parents, excessive attention to the child, lack of reasonable restrictions, satisfaction of all his whims and whims negatively affect the upbringing of a full-fledged personality. At the same time, excessive pickiness, exactingness, and criticality shown by parents to their offspring do not allow a happy personality to grow, preventing the formation of an adequate self-esteem of a person. According to psychologists, the most harmful way of raising a child is the pendulum model, which implies the absence of a unified behavioral strategy for parents, sharp fluctuations from prohibitions to connivance, and the lack of a common opinion among mom and dad regarding incentives and punishments. Such inconsistency in the actions of parents is detrimental to the psyche of a fragile personality.
A common cause of cyclothymia is the action of stress factors, both single and intense, as well as regular and chronic. Any mental trauma can cause regular mood swings: divorce, death loved one, major loss of own property. Provocateurs of cyclothymia are also chronically acting stresses, for example: living below the poverty line, inability to repay credit obligations, unfavorable atmosphere in the family. Often, cyclothymia is recorded in people who voluntarily or forcibly stay in critical, unsafe situations. For example, those persons who live in the war zone face the torment of depression.
It should be noted that not only negative events are stressors. Cause a crash in emotional sphere positive phenomena that happened suddenly can also be. So, the cause of cyclothymia can be both your own pregnancy and the subsequent birth of a child. Any change that globally affects the habitual way of life of a person can initiate mood disorders.
The obvious cause of cyclothymia is alcohol abuse and drug use. The toxic components of alcohol and drugs destroy the human nervous system and have a detrimental effect on the psyche. As addictions become more severe, all mental processes undergo colossal changes. Debuts against the background of chronic alcoholism and drug addiction wide range disorders, among which depressive states occupy the palm.
Cyclothymia: how the disorder manifests itself
Symptoms of cyclothymia are almost identical to those of manic-depressive psychosis. However, compared to bipolar disorder, they are less intense and can be eliminated in more short term. The main criterion for determining the diagnosis of "cyclothymia" is the demonstration by patients of the symptoms of two opposite conditions: a depressive episode mild degree severity and hypomanic phase. Moreover, the transition from one state to another does not occur rapidly and abruptly, but gradually and smoothly. At the same time, there may be a gap of mental well-being between the two polar stages.
depressive episode
The main symptom of this stage is the dominance of a dull, dreary, pessimistic mood in a person. The subject appears sad and melancholic, making complaints that "cats scratch at the soul." Becomes marked decline habitual vigor and a decrease in his social activity. The decline in labor indicators in the professional sphere is especially noticeable. A person with cyclothymia lacks inspiration to perform previously enjoyable tasks. He performs his duties by force. Moreover, often he cannot complete the work he has begun due to excessive fatigue and difficulty concentrating on one job.
Another symptom of cyclothymia is a person’s lack of “excitement” for life. Still not interested in anything, previously pleasant moments do not bring pleasure. He refuses exciting activities, does not visit recreational activities. A certain social isolation of a person becomes noticeable to those around him. A patient with cyclothymia in the phase of depression stops communicating with friends, does not visit relatives, and shuns collective Sabantuys. In such a depressed state, the individual prefers to be alone with himself, and often does not cross the threshold of his abode at all. 
An important symptom of a depressive episode in cyclothymia is the subject's underestimation of his existing abilities, the denial of his own talents. A person becomes convinced that he has nothing to be proud of in this life, that he cannot reach any heights. He evaluates his past extremely negatively, interprets the present skeptically, sees the future in black colors. His thinking and perception of reality is pessimistic. A patient with cyclothymia in the depressive phase neutrally or negatively interprets those phenomena that, in a normal mood, are considered to be joyful and pleasant.
In a state of depression, very often observed various problems with sleep. A person cannot fall asleep for a long time in the evening hours. Having sunk into sleep, his nightly rest is deprived of rest: he often wakes up from nightmares and then again cannot fall asleep for a long time. In the morning, he feels overwhelmed and exhausted, because his sleep did not bring energy and feelings of freshness. During the day he is absent-minded and sluggish, as sleepiness overcomes him.
A significant deterioration in all cognitive and mnestic functions can also be determined. It is difficult for a person in a state of depression to understand new information, he is not able to conduct a quick and deep analysis of the data. Many patients with cyclothymia complain that it is difficult for them to find words to answer their opponent. They describe that they cannot retrieve the necessary information from memory. In the phase of depression, the person's speech also changes, becoming inexpressive, monotonous with a characteristic slow pace. Processes also slow down. motor activity. Individual patients describe that it is difficult for them to raise their hand, that each step is difficult for them. They do not feel physically healthy, feeling muscle sluggishness and lack of tone.
especially dangerous symptom a depressive episode is the appearance in a person of obsessive irresistible thoughts about his own guilt. Patients with cyclothymia with melancholia feel worthless and useless for society. They are haunted by a feeling of hopelessness, helplessness, hopelessness. However, suicidal activity in this type of depression is extremely rare. When a patient has thoughts of suicide, it can be assumed that he has a more severe disorder than cyclothymia.
Hypomanic stage
The main symptom of the hypomanic phase is a significant rise in a person's mood, up to euphoria. The subject is in a state of joy, carelessness, complacency, and such feelings do not correspond to the real state of affairs. He is distinguished by unjustified gaiety and enthusiasm for phenomena that are interpreted in society as neutral or negative. He is optimistic about his past, positively assesses the present and predicts a great future.
Significant psychomotor agitation, mimic and motor revival become noticeable. The patient's speech is intermittent, illogical, uttered at a very fast pace. Brief phrases are characteristic, often not fully pronounced, but interrupted in the middle of the statement. A person in a state of gaiety often picks up colorful words, piles up bright and ridiculous speech constructions. The facial expressions and gestures of the patient are very expressive. Being in a state of high spirits, a person cannot sit in one place and maintain his posture. long time. He shifts from foot to foot, takes steps on the spot, or, without finishing the conversation, leaves in an incomprehensible direction. When communicating with such a subject, his familiarity, unceremoniousness, and irony are striking.
The creative and production activity of the patient in the hypomanic phase of depression is significantly enhanced. However, human activity is devoid of organization, orderliness, purposefulness. A person may take on several tasks at the same time, but does not bring any of them to completion.
During the hypomanic phase of cyclothymia, the subject exhibits inappropriately elevated self-esteem. During this period, a person overestimates his own capabilities, inflates the size of achievements. Some people may have ideas of their own greatness, but they never reach the dimensions of delirium.
Due to the decrease in criticism to what is happening, the absence of a natural “brake” in mental processes, a person in the phase of hypomania embarks on various adventures. He has an increased need for social contacts, so he makes many new acquaintances, often with rather strange and immoral personalities. Also, the patient's need for intimate contacts increases, but he is promiscuous and fickle in relationships, often changing his sexual partner.
Another characteristic symptom hypomanic phase of cyclothymia - a significant decrease in the need for sleep. Such a person can play tricks all night in a club, and, without sleeping an hour, go to work in the morning. In this state, people often begin to abuse alcohol, try drugs. It is manic excitement that pushes a person to participate in gambling and invest in adventurous enterprises.
Some people in the hypomanic phase of cyclothymia exhibit an uncontrolled and misunderstood vagrancy. They begin to wander aimlessly, may change their place of residence and migrate to another country. Other persons join sects and begin to preach wondrous religious cults. Third parties begin to acquire a lot of unnecessary and useless things, joining the ranks of shopaholics and Plushkins. However, at the end of the hypomanic phase, such passions, as a rule, disappear with the exception of addictions - alcoholism and drug addiction.
Cyclothymia: how to get rid of mood swings
What should I do if my mood changes frequently? The first step is to visit a psychotherapist and establish the correct diagnosis. When the presence of cyclothymia is confirmed, the treatment is built on the basis of the dominant principle: relief of the symptoms of the current phase, prevention of the onset of a polar state, prevention of relapses.
The treatment of this form of depression most often occurs on an outpatient basis, without placing the patient in the inpatient department of the hospital. Such a step is justified by the fact that the subject retains the opportunity to fully function in society, he is not deprived of the chance to lead the usual rhythm of life.
The treatment regimen for cyclothymia is represented by two components:
It should be noted that taking medications prescribed for cyclothymia occurs for a rather long period. At the same time, it is extremely important to strictly follow the doctor's recommendations: an independent choice of a medicine is fraught with a significant aggravation of the symptoms of the disorder. The basis of drug treatment is antidepressants of the latest generations with high therapeutic activity and no risk of transition to the opposite phase. In the hypomanic state, normotimics are recommended, which have a prolonged effect. To get rid of emotional fluctuations, it is advisable to use mood stabilizers. With severe psychomotor agitation, the patient is prescribed antipsychotics.
Psychotherapeutic treatment is aimed at solving a number of important tasks among which the first place is given to psychological education. The task of the therapist is to prevent the development of auto-aggressive actions in a depressive episode, to prevent the formation of addictions in the hypomanic phase.
The doctor explains to the client the features of his condition, tries to detect true reason disorders, gives arguments for continuing psychotherapeutic treatment. In the process of psychotherapy, the patient learns the skills to prevent the return of a depressive or hypomanic state, without harming his personality and without harming his health. He learns how to eliminate the manifestations of the polar stages on his own.
Is it possible to get rid of mood swings on your own without seeking help from doctors? In mild forms, the disorder can be corrected without medical intervention. However, success can only be achieved if a person is able to recognize his individuality and is ready to expend energy on carrying out the transformation of his own personality. To get rid of cyclothymia, the subject must find suitable ways for him to relieve psycho-emotional stress and apply relaxation techniques in practice. A good help in overcoming cyclothymia is wushu gymnastics with their excellent exercises that restore balance. mental processes. A good option to get rid of cyclothymia - a daily yoga practice. This Eastern philosophy is built in such a way that a person can fully know his personality and transform his inner world. We should not forget about the benefits of regular breathing exercises.
In the case of cyclothymia, the statement is true: mental health man in his arms. Having known himself, having discovered and eliminated the cause of the disease, changing the way of thinking, giving himself a good rest, a person says goodbye to mood swings that prevent him from fully living.
