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I have very rapid mood swings, what's the best way to manage them so no one gets hurt?

153 Answers
Last Updated: 06/08/2022 at 5:43am
I have very rapid mood swings, what's the best way to manage them so no one gets hurt?
1 Tip to Feel Better
United Kingdom
Moderated by

Tanyia Hughes, Adv Dip Psy

Psychotherapist

I have been through a lot in life too, which helps me to be able to empathize with situations, thoughts and feelings that we have. Sometimes, it's not easy just being human.

Top Rated Answers
Luna19993
February 7th, 2019 4:00am
The fact that you have acknowledged this is a wonderful start. Apologising always helps. Not "I'm sorry I said that, but..". A real apology. "Im really sorry I did that. I wasn't in my right mind for a second, and it wasn't your fault." Letting people know beforehand that you're not feeling very personable or you're feeling a bit irritable is wonderful too. There is no shame in admitting that you're having a "funny five minutes". We all get them. I suffer from BPD. My mood swings are immense. When I feel like I am having a bad turn, I let my husband know before hand. He's wonderful about it, granted. Once it has passed, I apologise and he simply states that he understands, and is grateful that I let him know beforehand.
Sunshine444
March 14th, 2019 9:53am
HI, mood swings can have various reasons. on thing you can start doing to manage it effectively is Meditation. Start sitting quite for 20min each day and have positive visualization or only breathing exercises . It will make you feel more calmer and your reaction will have more control. Also developing self control is important..work on anger management skills..meet therapist to find out trigger points.Also you can make a note of incidents where you feel you are having mood swings or you could have reacted in different way. I always feel seeking help from expert mental health practitioner is one of the important step in self love. I hope this helps.
Anonymous
May 4th, 2022 7:03pm
STOP. BREATHE. THINK. ACT. I learnt it in primary school. Our principal used to tell us to stop and think before we act. Practice mindfulness, I would say. Be aware of what you do, your surroundings and not letting your mind go into auto-pilot. If you think your mood swings are affecting people around you then reflect on your actions as much as possible. Every action and thought has its consequence on you and the people around you. So think about those consequences, imagine what they could for each action and thought that you enable. This should do the job. Hope this helps.
Anonymous
March 21st, 2019 8:19am
I've always managed my own mood swings by taking the time to sit by myself and sort it out; whether that be by writing what I'm feeling down or introspecting. Breathe. It's alright to feel the way you do, and it doesn't make you a bad person. What matters is that you have taken the time to sort yourself out. Your true friends and family will understand that you need to be alone. If you want to make it less likely for people to approach you while you're calming down, I'd suggest plugging in your earphones but not actually playing any music; that way most people will be deterred, and you'll be able to avoid hurting anyone.
hopefulPower94
April 21st, 2019 3:20am
That sounds highly stressful. Coping with mood swings especially when they change so quickly is not an easy task. There is hope though. Something that has helped me is to try and slow things down. When I am heading towards a panic or doing something I'll regret, forcing myself to take things slow can help. I do this by stopping what I'm doing and taking a deep breath. Once my breathing has calmed, I try to look at what upset me with clearer eyes. Only then do I proceed. Overall, stopping myself in that moment and slowing things down has been helpful to me.
Hanaa00
July 11th, 2019 10:30am
I used to struggle with this a lot. And many times, some people did end up getting emotionally hurt by me. But over time, I learned to manage them to some extent. What I do in those situations is label my emotions as accurately as I can. To label something automatically means to rationalize it in a way. And it’s much easier to cope with something that’s labeled, logical, rational, that isn’t just an undefined feeling anymore, with something that has finally been given some description and a meaning. I found this to be very helpful for managing my own mood swings.
BlueHope909
August 20th, 2019 5:02pm
Well, moods swings almost mostly come from strong repressed emotions - strong enough to identify - and corresponding supplementary thoughts. These thoughts key the begin digging into what is the emotional issue. With that, it's always best to ask oneself "Why am I getting emotional now?" This question Why has the ability to allow you to pause and rationalize the mood swing content. In turn this allows you to organise your moods better to suit why you are moody. In turn, if possible enables you find out the real source and possibly a solution (with help) to the mood problem. With clarity and organisation, while emotions may be strong - they now evolve into emotional content.
giggleLove165
October 26th, 2019 1:41am
I would say, meditation (guided or putting on some meditative music and just observe what you observe about where your thoughts and feelings are heading e.g fear, emotional pain, a sense of grief or confusion) can really assist in centering and grounding a person. It really helps with self-acceptance, which is necessary in understanding what's going on within, discovering what triggers those rapid mood swings and facing the situation with a positive constructive manner, that promotes self-growth. Be open and gentle with yourself, show the compassion you would show to your best friend or a person you deeply care about. Always remember, it's okay where you are right now, and with the intention of improving your position, create a 15-30 self-care routine, in your everyday life. You'll see after a while you'll understand yourself more and your mood swings are going to be majorly improved!
wolfdoglovesparx1
November 15th, 2019 2:20am
I used to experience this a lot few years back. Looking back, the main and most effective way I dealt with rapid mood swings is by taking a step back from situations and remembering to breathe. This is because taking the time to focus on your breath helps lower your heart rate, which leads to your body feeling more calm and less likely to act on impulse. It will feel hard at first to do so, but with practice, you will improve and have better control with your mood swings. A good way to practice by yourself is through meditation. Doing a short, 5 minute breathing meditation daily where you concentrate solely on your breathing helps make it easier to get yourself back into this calm state through focusing on breaths when you face these situations in the future.
Aleespli21
December 28th, 2019 7:49pm
I think that realizing you have these mood swings is a very important first step, the second step would maybe even be going to the doctor to see if they can help with controlling it better. Otherwise meditating and breathing techniques can be very helpful in these situations. Being able to recognize when you are feeling a certain way is a really good way to help stay in control. I would try making a list of your moods and what might trigger them, then you will be able to recognize further when they might be about to happen. Good luck!
Anonymous
January 13th, 2020 10:45pm
Thanks for acknowledging an area that you are working to improve within yourself. It is admirable when people want to grow beyond their challenges. Meditation is huge. There are many formats for meditation so just because you tried it once, does not mean that it is not for you. By tapping into your inner self you are more aware of when you are more likely to react in a harmful way toward yourself, or others, and so by learning to meditate you can also learn to respond, instead of react. Additionally, evaluating your diet, exercise and supplements and adjusting accordingly will also assist you in preventing some of those extremes that could cause injury. Being aware of what foods trigger your moods and making sure to exercise in a way to help naturally moderate your mood will all be helpful courses of action. Thank you for working to create more peace and harmony in your life while reducing the number of harmful instances to yourself and others.
Anonymous
April 14th, 2022 9:03pm
Firstly, identify what behaviour of yours is risking someone’s safety. Then, focus on what’s causing that behaviour, and now, alter the way you think, and break that habit of behaviour, to form a better pattern of behaviour. That’s the long term. Short term: when you’re in a situation where you’re worried your behaviour may hurt someone, then leave the situation in any way you can. Let the person know, if you think they need to, that you need some time to cool off. Proceed by walking away and cooling off. If not I’m a position to do that, let the person know how you’re feeling so they can decide what to do with it. In the moment if you need to calm down quickly, breath in for 4, hold for 7, and exhale for 8 seconds. Continue until you’ve calmed down, and proceed.
Anonymous
March 25th, 2020 2:37am
when I have very rapid mood swings I have to separate myself from the situation and the people I care about. For everyone it’s different, but for me I try to distract myself with coping mechanisms. If I’m angry I’ll take a walk, if I’m lonely I’ll call my friend, if I’m depressed I’ll try to do art. The best way for me when my bipolar gets the best of me is to physically distance myself and take a few moments to breathe and think about what I’m doing. I often get very angry and then I feel very guilty for feeling so angry in the first place so I take a long walk with loud music or I’ll try to take a nap and think myself through before socializing so that I don’t mess up the few social connections that I have.
timeforothers56
April 2nd, 2020 12:49pm
hello you are chatting to timeforothers56 is this your first time on 7 cups I am an active listener how can I help you today do you feel your moods are out of control how does this affect you are you worried it will affect your relationship with your family you can get help with this I know it can feel overwhelming . have you thought you might benefit from anger management I can help refer you to someone if you would like I am here to listen if you need to talk just know that this can be managed and you are not alone
Anonymous
April 4th, 2020 11:26pm
If mood swings get severe as to wanting to hurt someone or destroy property, it is best to seek counseling or therapy services. I have had to and still to seek therapy services for some problems I'm having. Mood swings could be caused by a variety of issues, such as imbalance, stress with family, friends, relationships, work, school, or a traumatic event, whether or not it was recent. In my experience, I've had many things come up in my life, such as issues with abusive family member, and social anxiety in school. I have overcome a lot of these by seeking therapy services, practicing healthy habits such as eating well, sleeping and lots of exercising.
Sunbath03
April 9th, 2020 11:20pm
So, you feel that your rapid mood swings can get people hurt? Has anyone indicated that they were hurt because of your mood swings or is it something you feel yourself? What are your feeling when you go from one type of mood to another? Is there anything that triggers a mood swing or is it something that comes out of the blue. Rapid mood swings may or may not generate physiological responses like excessive sweating, fast heart beat, and even headaches. Sometimes, those physiological changes can give us some clues as to the imminence of a raid mood swing.
Anonymous
April 17th, 2020 7:24pm
I definitely relate to this. I find it helpful to reflect on how I’m feeling and take deep breaths and come to terms with how I’m feeling. Look back and see how your body reacts to certain situations and learn what makes you feel better, whether that be breathing, exercise, fresh air. Try and understand how you react to certain things and how you can help yourself relax. Eventually, you may find it easier to figure out when you might have a mood swing and use your way of relaxing (exercise, breathing etc) before you upset someone. It’s very thoughtful of you to think about how others feel in these situations. I hope this helped. Make sure you listen to your body :)
kindPeace2936
April 23rd, 2020 9:11am
I think being aware of the face you have rapid mood swings is a great starting point. For me, it would be important to recognise the signs that a mood swing may be coming. This could be done through some self reflection, try to work out what your triggers are or what kind of situations or people make this happen more. Once you know and are comfortable with your triggers, when you experience one of them you need to get yourself out of that situation. Whether that be letting the others know that you need to leave a conversation but you'll return to it when you feel you can better handle it or have had time to think it over. It also may help to share your thoughts with your close friends and family, let them know what your triggers are so they can help avoid these and be understanding should a rapid mood swing happen.
scarletspeedy
April 24th, 2020 6:48am
Keep a mood journal. Keep a track of the activities that you're doing over the course of the day and how your mood is fluctuating. One such app that I've used personally is Daylio. It has a fairly intuitive design and it takes less than a minute to log your activity and mood. Data can help you find out what triggers you. And therefore you could be more informed about how to deal with the situation. At the same time, tell the people you spend most time with what you're going through and ask them to treat you with compassion. At the same time, you should also treat them with empathy. That way, you're also ensuring that the people closest to you don't get hurt.
Tikes
April 26th, 2020 2:42am
Take a moment away from anyone or the situation and count to 10 once you feel calm you can return to what you are doing. If you feel you cant control your mood then you need to remove yourself completely and focus your mind onto something else. Breathing deeply can physically calm you down. Thinking about what you are about to say can also help to calm you down as you can see how it will effect the other person and set off something in your head to calm you down. Also take time for yourself it will help prevent mood swings.
Anonymous
May 2nd, 2020 11:17pm
Before you feel like you're emotions are getting out of control, take yourself out of the situation and try your best to calm yourself down by doing some deep breathing exercises. Try and weigh out the pros and cons of engaging in your emotional behaviour and if it doesn't seem like you'll benefit from doing this then repeat the steps mentioned earlier. If you still find that your rapid mood swings bother you, maybe go seek a professional about them and hopefully they will be able to help you. It can be difficult to control your mood swings, but learning to separate your logical mind from your emotions is a good way to help them be controlled.
Anonymous
February 11th, 2022 5:25am
The best way to manage them is to distant yourself from people for a while. Go to an empty room, sit down on your bed and listen to music. Go to where you are most comfortable, and try to collect your thoughts there. Rapid mood swings ca be harmless at most times, if not a bit jarring, but to other people, it might be seen as dangerous and something that's bound to get someone hurt. If you know you are in a particularly explosive mood, excuse yourselves to chill out for a while. You can also use a coping method--very cliche, I know, but it works! Try counting to ten slowly, or reciting the titles of all your favorite books and movies. I hope this helps!!
heretohelp2721
May 13th, 2020 8:44pm
Try thinking about the origin of why you have these mood swings. Taking a step back, and looking more at yourself as an observer, can help you figure out why you are feeling a certain way. You can also reach out to someone who you trust and who knows you well. This way, they may be able to provide you with guided insight, and can help you make the first steps to managing how you feel. If you do not have anyone you feel that you trust, try talking to a listener on 7cups, or if you have a local counselor, you can try reaching out to them.
kopion
November 24th, 2021 1:44pm
in my opinion, consequence. Understand the consequence and soon it will curb your mood swings. Eg, you're in a group dinner with your partner, someone said something that tick you of. You're ready to explode. But at that moment, HOLD UP. look around and see who's around you, you have a bunch of "unfriendly" peers that you're certainly ready to throw your glasses at, but hey, you've got your partner/girlfriend/wife there too. You can certainly do maximum harm to the person who's causing you the mood swing or the situation that immediately relieves your moodswing, but as an adult always remember. As John Wick says: "Consequence."
bellarina74
June 5th, 2021 6:44pm
Taking time for yourself and working through your thoughts and the triggers for the rapid mood swings can be done in various ways. Some people choose to speak with a friend, others may choose a qualified counsellor relating to their issues at hand. If you don't feel you can talk to a counsellor or family/friend you could also keep a journal or write down your triggers. Personally, I get large pieces of paper and write on them what is bothering me. I then prioritise what I should be initially focusing on and them list the others issues accordingly to also be completed. As I complete a task I tick it off my list so I have visualisation of where things are at. The more I see being ticked off, the better I feel about myself.
Euphoricstar2005
May 22nd, 2021 5:50pm
I can understand and relate to it. What I do to not hurt anyone is when I am going to speak something that might offend someone I make it pass three questions which are , is it true? Is it necessary? Will this make the person happy if it doesn't pass the questions I just don't say it or try to flip it so it might change the tone. You can also do something which might be helpful when you feel a emotion extremely like , extremely angry or happy just don't talk to anyone when you know you aren't in control of your emotions just isolate yourself and always try to analyse situation write your feelings out these all things may help and it's so nice to see that you want to improve!
Anonymous
May 20th, 2021 1:48pm
What emotions do you feel? If you feel sad or angry towards people for seemingly no reason, try to focus on why you are feeling these things. if you still don't know why then, don't try to control these emotions, Let them out. Not in a physical way or a way that might bother other people, just tell them you will need a break and that might help. I have been in that place once, you can try to control them, but it will be hard if you don't know its cause. This is entirely optional, of course. Good luck!
Anonymous
April 17th, 2021 1:29am
Take 15 minutes each day to yourself meditate and focus on yourself. Focus on your feelings and try to identify what affects your mood. This way in time you will calm your mind and find the best way for you to deal with any and all problems you are facing. You will by doing this work towards a better you and identyfy what brings on your mood swings. The first step in any situation is confronting the problem and step by step work through the issue, step by step. By taking time for yourselfe you will get to know yourselfe on a deeper level wich is s great way to improve and overcome struggels
Anonymous
April 14th, 2021 8:01pm
Learn to recognise when those mood swings may happen: Do you suddenly get annoyed at the small things that happen? Do you suddenly find yourself thinking rude remarks about the people you care about? Alert the people around you, let them know what you are experiencing so they can understand if you are behaving differently. Then think about what you could do to alleviate the situation in that moment. Could you take time out and gather your thoughts? Could you perform a breathing exercise to calm down? What could you do in that moment to keep you grounded? After your mood swing, reflect on what happened. What was helpful during the situation? Do you think you handled that successfully? What did you want during that situation that might help you next time? Keep a journal or a diary to help you keep track on the processes that help you during your mood swings, and ask those around you how they felt during the situation.
greendream7
June 11th, 2021 8:37am
It would be helpful for you to keep a journal to see when, how and how often, why those swings occur, what triggers them, how they fade away and how long they stay, what makes them fade. You can then analyse them yourself since you are the expert of yourself and your life. Next step is to develop some kind of strategies to manage, control and eventually heal your mood swings. If they are often and severe they can harm you, your relationships, your career and yes, eventually your finance, too. You would not want that to happen. Self-awareness is the key to self-management.