Almost all of us know someone who tends to have sudden mood swings or who has an irritable personality when something doesn’t go the way they would like.
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 applicable).
What are the most common causes of sudden mood changes?
There are many causes that most commonly cause sudden mood changes in a 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 it is currently one of the biggest health problems.
Both insomnia, which is a very common sleep disorder, and the 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. In day to day.
That is why, to avoid this type of situation, it is advisable to sleep a sufficient number of hours daily to provide the rest that our body needs to function correctly.
Excess stress is another of the classic reasons why a person may experience frequent mood swings, as well as all types of psychological or physical alterations that can put their overall health at risk.
Due to the dizzying pace of work and an increasingly demanding labor market, Excess stress is one of the most common disorders in modern societies and this usually wears down the person both physically and mentally until they become more irritable, emotionally unstable and unable to cope with adversity.
3. Drug use
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, impulsivity, disproportionate reactions and even violent behavior.
These types of phenomena are very useful to detect drug consumption habits in any type of person, especially in adolescents who begin to consume substances of this type.
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 to tolerate frustration, but rather grants them everything they want at all times and always when the child demands it.
And the fact is that low tolerance for frustration and deficits in the acquisition of useful tools to cope with the real world of adults can usually cause these sudden mood changes.
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 occurs specifically 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.
6. Post-traumatic stress
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) occurs when Some people experience or witness a traumatic event at some point in their lives a 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 the future, difficulty concentrating and avoidance when thinking about certain topics or when traveling through certain places.
This disorder can also lead to sudden mood changes and irritability in the person who suffers from it, although in most cases this is rare and other symptoms are the most common.
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 occur with or without hyperactivity (also related to greater impulsivity, greater distractions, and a shorter attention span).
This disorder is relatively common in boys and girls and it usually causes a practically total impact on the person’s life, that is, on their personal relationships, self-image and 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 perfectionism
Some people are excessively perfectionistic with themselves or with other people in their personal or professional environment and this usually causes the appearance of negative interpersonal relationship dynamics.
Excess perfectionism causes the person to never be happy with the result of any given project or job, which favors the appearance of sudden mood changes and irritability in the face of things. experiences that are interpreted as a sign that something is not being done well.
Related article: “Dysfunctional perfectionism: causes, symptoms and treatment”
9. Low self-esteem
Low self-esteem is always one of the personality markers that most decisively influences people’s behavior and his way of managing emotions.
People who have low levels of self-esteem often also develop certain inferiority complexes, which are also related to sudden mood changes, irritability and even negative attitudes.
10. Neurodegenerative diseases
Pathologies such as Alzheimer’s or certain forms of Parkinson’s disease, which damage the networks of neurons that work in coordination with each other in the brain can cause imbalances to occur in the way the brain functions, leading to rapid changes in mood.
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If you are looking for psychotherapy and psychiatric assistance services, contact our team.
In CITA Clinics We work from all areas of mental health, both from outpatient care and periodic psychotherapy and psychiatry sessions as well as from treatment through admission to our residential module for addictions.
