How can you manage mood swings?

Learn how to manage teenage mood swings with practical strategies such as keeping a mood diary, talking about your feelings, and engaging in regular exercise.

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Understanding Mood Swings

Mood swings are rapid changes in emotional state. They are common during adolescence due to the hormonal changes that occur during this time. As hormones like oestrogen and testosterone surge, they can impact parts of the brain that regulate mood. This biological reasoning doesn't make mood swings any easier to handle, especially when they make you feel like you're on an emotional rollercoaster, affecting everything from your relationships to schoolwork.

Effects of Mood Swings on Daily Life

For teenagers, mood swings can be particularly challenging. One moment you might feel on top of the world, and suddenly, something minor can make you feel irritable or sad. This volatility can strain friendships and family relationships. Feeling like you're not in control of your emotions can also lead to stress, which may further disrupt your mood, creating a cycle that's hard to break. In school, mood swings can affect your concentration and motivation. This might reflect on your grades and overall performance. Furthermore, when mood swings become intense, they can lead to feelings of overwhelm or isolation, making it harder to share what you're going through with others.

Practical Strategies for Managing Mood Swings

Here are some strategies to help manage your mood swings:

1. Recognise the Triggers

Understanding what triggers your mood swings can be a significant first step. It could be stress, lack of sleep, or even specific social situations. Keep a diary to track your emotional state and what happens before you feel a mood swing. Over time, patterns might emerge that can help you anticipate and prepare for potential mood drops or spikes.

2. Develop Healthy Habits

How can you manage mood swings?
  • Regular Sleep Patterns: Aim for 8-9 hours of sleep each night by creating a relaxing bedtime routine and sticking to regular sleep and wake times, even on weekends.
  • Balanced Diet: Eating regularly and choosing nutritious foods can stabilise blood sugar levels, which in turn can moderate your mood.
  • Regular Exercise: Physical activity releases endorphins, known as feel-good hormones. Even a short walk or a dance session in your room can uplift your spirits.

3. practise Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques

Techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or yoga can reduce stress and enhance your mood. Apps like Headspace or Calm offer guided sessions specifically designed for teenagers, making these practices more accessible and enjoyable.

4. Talk It Out

Talking can be therapeutic. Whether it's a friend, family member, or a counsellor, sharing your feelings can help you feel supported and less alone. Often, just vocalising your feelings can put them into perspective and make them easier to manage.

5. Set Realistic Goals and Prioritise Tasks

Feeling overwhelmed can trigger mood swings, so try breaking your tasks into small, manageable steps and setting realistic goals. This can help reduce stress and give you a sense of accomplishment.

6. Consider Professional Help

If your mood swings are severe or don't seem to improve with self-managed strategies, it may be helpful to seek professional assistance. A therapist or counsellor can offer strategies and insights tailored to your situation. There's no shame in seeking help it's a proactive step towards understanding and managing your emotions.

Understanding and Acceptance

It's important to acknowledge that mood swings are a normal part of growing up. However, how you handle them can define how they affect your life. Remember, mood swings don't define who you are; they are simply a biological part of your journey towards adulthood.

Conclusion

Managing mood swings effectively involves a combination of recognising your triggers, adopting healthy lifestyle choices, and utilising coping strategies like mindfulness. While it can seem daunting, taking control of your mood swings is a powerful step towards mastering your emotional health. Don't hesitate to reach out for support when you need it; everyone needs help sometimes, and dealing with emotional ups and downs is no exception.

How are you feeling?

It is really important that when we need help, we feel able to ask for it. This could be speaking to a parent, a close friend, a teacher or someone else you trust. Sometimes it can be really hard to share our feelings with other people but if we are feeling low or don't know where to turn, sharing with others is really important. Teachers will always take you seriously and listen to your problems in confidence if you approach them for help. Likewise, parents, siblings or friends will help you if you reach out to them.

If you feel like you can't speak to anyone you know, there are people and organisations that can help support you:

  • Childline - Call them on 0800 1111 any time of the day or night, every day of the week
  • NSPCC - Call them on 0808 800 5000 between 10am and 4pm Monday to Friday or email them on help@NSPCC.org.uk
  • The Samaritans – Call them on 116 123 any time of the day or night, every day of the week
  • SANE – Call 0300 304 7000 for support (4:30pm - 10:30pm every day)
  • Mind – Call 0300 123 3393 (9:00am - 6:00pm Monday to Friday)

*Sometimes we will use real life examples in our articles to aid understanding. When we do, names and ages will be changed.