Women are prone to mood swings because of the activities of some hormones produced in their system at specific periods; ovulation, menstruation, pregnancy or when they suffer hormonal imbalance due to effects of some body functions.
However, extreme mood swings can be a result of a mental condition called Bipolar disorder, previously known as manic depression, a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings.
Extreme mood swings in Bipolar disorder usually includes emotional highs called mania or hypomania and extreme lows, that is, depression.
Usually, a bipolar person feels extreme emotions within the span of a little time; a person that suffers from bipolar disorder may move from feeling sad, depressed or hopeless to being euphoric, full of energy and ready to take on the world within a short period and these mood swings may affect every area of life; behaviour, sleep, judgement, energy, activity and logical reasoning.
Bipolar disorder has varying impacts on people but causes severe disruption to the life of every individual it affects. However, with appropriate treatment and support, many people with bipolar disorder live a full and productive life.
And while episodes of mood swings may occur rarely or multiple times annually, most people will experience some emotional symptoms between episodes and for unknown reasons, some may not experience any.
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Averagely, individuals get diagonised around the age of 25 but symptoms may appear during the teenage years or later in life.
But while bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition, it can effectively be managed and mood swings and other symptoms can be controlled with a treatment plan; usually with medications and psychotherapy, that is psychological counseling
Bipolar disorders are in classes:
Bipolar I disorder; when there had been at least one manic episode that may be preceded or followed by hypomanic or major depressive episodes, sometimes leading to a break in reality.
Bipolar II disorder;Â this is when there had been at least one major depressive episode and at least one hypomanic episode but no manic episode.
Cyclothymic disorder;Â this is when there had been at least two years or one year of many periods of hypomania symptoms and periods of depressive symptoms in children and teenagers, though it is less severe than major depression.
There are other types of bipolar disorder that are induced by certain drugs or alcohol or due to a medical condition. Mania and hypomania are two distinct types of episodes, but they have the same symptoms. Mania is more severe than hypomania and causes more noticeable problems at work, school and social activities, as well as relationship difficulties. Mania may also trigger a break from reality (psychosis) and require hospitalization.
Both a manic and a hypomanic episode include three or more of these symptoms: abnormally upbeat, jumpy or wired, increased activity, energy or agitation, exaggerated sense of well-being and self-confidence (euphoria). In spite of extreme mood swings, people with bipolar disorder often don’t recognize how much their emotional instability disrupts their lives and the lives of those around them and don’t get the required treatment they need.
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