Mood Swings in Women

Does the sudden snapping and irritability of a woman you are close to bother you? Have you noticed sudden growing variations in her mood like she's happy one moment and the very next moment sad, cranky, depressed and angry? You might have been wondering about the reason behind her unpredictable behavior and what exactly causes these disturbing mood changes in her, right? Well, there is nothing really to worry about as it's just a condition known as mood swings in women, which is very common and perfectly normal as well.

Mood Swings in Women

A mood swing is a mood disorder that is experienced by men as well as women, though women are more prone to be affected by it. Mood swings in women are characterized by the expression of various emotions in a short span of time. For example, she may be happy and then depressed, frustrated and angry all of a sudden, without any major reason. The frequency of mood swings varies from person to person and if it gets severe, it could lead to various other psychological problems and disorders. Various factors that are unique to a woman's health and life can be attributed as causes of mood swings in women.

What Causes Mood Swings in Women

Hormones
One of the major cause of mood swings in women are the female hormones, especially hormonal imbalance. Hormonal changes and variations occurring before or during their menstrual cycle, during or after pregnancy and at menopause can greatly contribute to hormonal mood swings in women. Teenage girls first experience mood swings at puberty when their body is introduced to the various sex hormones. Mood swings are also often associated with the Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), since most women experience mood swings during this time.

Read more on:

• PMS and Mood Swings
• Hormonal Imbalance in Young Women

Chemical Imbalance
The chemicals, called neurotransmitters, released by the brain are responsible for the various emotions like happiness, depression and fear expressed by us. When there occurs an imbalance in the release of chemicals like norepinephrine, GABA, serotonin and dopamine, it results in mood swings and other mood related disorders.

Stress
Work and family related stress in women can lead to episodes of depression succeeded by mood swings. Stress caused by emotional problems, marital problems, single parenthood, aging parents and failed relationships are all contributors to mood swings.

Other causes of mood swings include unhealthy lifestyle habits like taking to junk food, drugs, alcohol, smoking and lack of exercise. Mood swings can be a symptom or can be indicative of various physical and mental illnesses. Frequent, uncontrollable and violent mood swings need to be given medical attention and can be treated using therapy and introducing lifestyle changes.

Treating Mood Swings in Women

Therapy
Frequent and excessive mood swings in women can hamper their daily routine and personal as well as professional life. To treat this condition, it is essential that she regains confidence in herself and learns to exercise self control. This is best done by undergoing various therapies like talk therapy, cognitive therapy, literary therapy, hormone replacement therapy and behavioral therapy.

Diet
Diet also plays an important role in the treatment and handling of mood swings. If you are prone to mood swings that throw your life out of balance, you must incorporate more of vitamins and minerals in your diet. You can also consume herbal supplements like ginseng, ashwagandha or jatamansi.

Alternative Medicine and Therapies
Aromatherapy, acupuncture and homeopathic medicines can help a great deal in treating severe mood swings. Practicing yoga exercises and meditation can also help deal with mood swings in women.

Lifestyle Changes
Incorporating a healthy lifestyle will be beneficial not only in the treatment of mood swings, but also in leading a good, healthy life. Make it a point to include exercise as a part of your daily routine. Light exercises like swimming, brisk walking and dancing can help treat mood swings in women. Eat healthy and avoid smoking and regular alcohol consumption.

Mood swings in women can be easily dealt with if one knows how to deal with stress and with the support of the people close to her. You need to realize that mood swings that go out of hand cause harm not only to herself but also to others around her. So, make an effort to deal with it for a healthy physical and mental life!