Do you suffer from constant moodiness? Life is stressful, and it’s only natural that you take your frustrations out on the ones closest to you. Whether you’re hormonal or suffering from depression, being moody is quite common.
Have you ever wondered what makes your moods fluctuate so much? According to Psych Education, your limbic system is the section of your brain responsible for your moods. Within this structure are the hypothalamus, hippocampus, and amygdala, and all these areas help control your feelings.
TwentyThings That Might Cause Moodiness
Many things can affect your temperament, including your neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Here are the 20 most common things that can cause moodiness.
1. Anxiety
Anxiety messes with your hormones and neurotransmitters in the brain, so naturally, it has a direct effect on your mood. Constant angst is a mental health condition that alters your body’s functional abilities. People with anxiety experience high levels of cortisol and adrenaline, which can significantly influence their feelings.
2. Inflammation
Auto-immune disorders can increase inflammation in the body. An article on Jama Psychiatry references a study conducted by the Department of Research in Translational Psychiatry in Munich, Germany. The review was to determine if inflammation played a crucial role in metabolic dysregulation.
The German study found that 45 percent of people that suffer from auto-immune conditions, which comes with inflammatory issues, also had mood disturbances. This shows that there is a high probability that auto-immune diseases can affect your moods.
3. Depression
Being depressed is a common condition that affects more than 17 million people in this country, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Some of the classic signs of this mental health disorder are sleep and mood disturbances and a lack of motivation.
4. Pregnancy
Being pregnant causes a surge of hormones because it helps the baby to grow and flourish. When these surges occur, it has a dramatic effect on your mood. Pregnancy can cause a lady to feel on top of the world one minute and crying and miserable the next.
After the baby is born, postpartum sadness is commonplace due to the massive hormonal shift. According to the Center for Disease and Control, about one in ten women will experience the baby blues after they deliver.
5. Hormonal Imbalances
Hormonal imbalances can wreak havoc on your body and mind. If you notice that you feel angry or upset without a good reason, then hormonal fluctuations could be blamed. Things like testosterone, estrogen, and many others, are produced by the body to keep things going.
If these hormones are too high or low, it can cause your body to experience moodiness.
6. Sleep Deprivation
Sleep is essential because it allows both your body and your brain to recover from daily happenings. When you don’t get the proper amount of sleep, you can awaken feeling groggy and moody.
If you don’t get at least 7-8 hours of rest each night, you will be cranky and even make wrong decisions the next day. Sleep deprivation can have everything to do with your moodiness.
7. Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder and moodiness go hand-in-hand. The hallmarks of this mental health condition are highs and lows. Still, there can be many underlying cognitive factors, such as an imbalance in brain chemistry, causing these mood interruptions.
8. Prescription Medications
Did you know that the medications you take can cause you to have an altered mood? You may especially notice this when you start a new medicine. One drug that is notorious for affecting your mood is steroids.
Many people notice that they become more aggressive when taking these meds as their moods are modified. While steroids are one medication, numerous others can also affect your mood.
9. Borderline Personality Disorder
Borderline personality disorder is a severe mental health issue that is not fully understood. It’s one of the most difficult to treat mental conditions. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, BPD affects about 1.4 percent of the population.
This condition’s characteristics include mood instability, low self-image issues, behavioral problems, and difficulty with everyday functioning.
10. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
ADHD comes with impulse control issues. Those who suffer from this condition may become frustrated for the smallest of reasons, even standing too long in the grocery store line. There are many mood disturbances with ADHD, but behavioral therapy can help you learn to control the impulses.
11. Caffeine
Caffeine can be found in things like soda or even chocolate. It gives you a boost of energy as it stimulates the nervous system. Do you need 1-2 cups of coffee to get you up and running in the morning?
Well, if you crash by the afternoon and have issues with your mood, it could be because of caffeine. Your body becomes accustomed to having that stimulant to give you energy. When you’re deficient, then your mood can be affected. It’s a vicious cycle as you need more caffeine to repair your mood.
12. Allergies
Allergies can significantly affect your feelings and moods. During flares, you may experience anger, sadness, and irritability. Chronic cases can lead to a lack of motivation as well as a wide-ranging decline in your emotional health.
13. Low Blood Sugar
Some people get so hungry that it affects their moods. It’s entirely possible to be both hungry and angry simultaneously. It’s not uncommon for low-blood sugar to alter your moods.
According to an article published by the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health, many people are diagnosed with mood disorders when, in fact, it’s their blood sugar that needs attention. If you notice your mood changes once you eat, then low blood sugar issues could be blamed.
14. Life Changes
Any changes in your life, good or bad, can affect your mood. Moving can be stressful, and nothing makes some people more stressed than packing and relocating. If you’re under a great deal of pressure at work, it can spill over into your home life. Any changes or alterations in your life can have a direct impact on your emotions.
15. Dementia
Dementia is a disease that causes areas of the brain to die. Over time, a person’s memory and personality are altered. It’s not uncommon to observe mood swings in folks who suffer from this condition.
Much of the frustration comes because it’s difficult to express themselves, and they lack the words or ways to do so. These frustrations cause them to be happy one minute and raging the next.
16. Menopause
Menopause is a condition that affects women, usually over the age of 50. The body doesn’t make as many hormones as it did before, so this causes many alterations. Women going through “the change” experience things like mood swings, hot flashes, and insomnia.
17. Eating Too Much Sugar
Are you eating too many carbs and sugars during the day? Did you know that your diet can significantly affect your mood? Your diet can be a direct contributor to your mood swings. Cut the carbs and watch your mental health improve.
18. Thyroid Issues
The little butterfly-shaped gland that sits in your neck is called your thyroid. It controls many of your bodily functions. The thyroid produces hormones that regulate things like your heart rate and moods.
If your body doesn’t make enough of these hormones, then you are deficient or have hypothyroidism. If your body produces too much of these hormones, then you’re considered to have hyperthyroidism.
19. Stress
Dealing with chronic stress can take a significant toll on your mind and body. Did you know that stress can make you feel things like sadness, anger, or even rage? The problem is that being under a constant state of stress will cause a mood disturbance, and you won’t feel like yourself.
If you feel the pangs of stress and tension, then try exercising to make you feel better.
20. Premenstrual Syndrome
Premenstrual syndrome or PMS is a condition that causes headaches, cramping, and mood changes before your period. You can feel sad or moody for no reason, and there doesn’t need to be any trigger.
It’s believed that a woman’s hormone levels drop before she has her monthly cycle, and this drop in hormones causes mood issues. Thankfully, the hormones level off when the process begins, and the harsh mood alterations and cramping go away.
Final Thoughts on Moodiness
Everyone experiences an upset in their moods on occasion, and it’s not usually a cause for alarm. However, if you have moodiness that seems to occur daily, then there is an underlying cause.
One of these 20 things listed above could be the issue. If your emotions and feelings are causing you trouble in your daily life, then it’s time to seek help before it destroys or alienates the ones you love. Plus, you can’t be the best when your emotions are all over the place.
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