Mood swings is sudden drastic changes in the mood in which you are completely elated at one point of time during the day but feel really low at another point. The prime reason for such drastic changes in the mood is due to changes in the hormone levels caused by certain types of body changes. In women this can be due to menopause while in men the swings can be caused by stress.
Difference between Depression and Mood Swings
Many times you can confuse mood swings with depression but both are different things. Mood swings are a sign of depression but they can also be an indication of a worse mental problem such as bipolar disorder. In case of mood swings that are caused by changes in hormone levels, it is possible to control them through exercising, meditation and yoga.
However treatment of depression goes beyond this – there is need for counseling and getting into treatment with a psychiatrist. It is possible to treat mood swings with some simple lifestyle changes but this is not the case with depression which will need advanced treatment in the form of mediation such as anti depressants and anxiety drugs.
When you have problems in concentrating, it is a sign of depression. People with mood swings are able to carry out their daily tasks even under the most difficult of circumstances. It is to be noted that sleep is very important to stay alert and carry out everyday tasks properly.
When you have mood swings, you are able to sleep normally, but due to the drastic change in attitude you will experience different types of emotions in the day time. When you are depressed the only emotion that stays with you is sadness. A depressed person is in a state of melancholy which is not present otherwise and this feeling affects him or her during the night also.
Depressed people are prone to emotions such as lack of self worth, self loathing, helplessness and hopelessness. They are not able to take interest in those activities that they usually do and do not enjoy things that they were very interested in earlier. For example if a person who loves to play tennis suddenly got depressed, he or she would lose interest in the sport. There is also the tendency to put on a huge amount of weight.
People who are sad take to food to keep the problem away. In course of a couple of weeks or months, a lot of weight is gained which can be very difficult to deal with. People who are depressed can at one point of time feel they want a lot of food so there is excessive eating which results in weight being out on, leading to obesity and its related health problems. At times, there is a tendency to be put off food completely, which means body become tired fast, lot of weight is lost and the tendency to become sick also increases. Depressed people are highly irritable and a small thing can make them really unhappy or angry. Such feelings can last for a considerable period of time and at times can get the reason out of control, leading to some drastic action which can hurt them or others.
It is to be noted that the root cause of depression has not be fully understood. It is thought to be arising from a combination of genetic, psychosocial and biological factors. When you face stressful events in life and family support is low, the result is depression. It can also be caused by sudden, unexplainable situations in life.
People who are depressed must take treatment for it right away as otherwise they will create a lot of problems for themselves People who love them are the most affected as they become highly unhappy and are unable to cope with the increasingly difficult attitude and emotions of the depressed person.
People who are depressed do not realize that they have a problem unless someone tells them about it. If is vital to analyze the issue at the onset itself so that its severity does not enhance and treatment curbs it quickly. The first step towards treating a depressed person is getting them to visit a psychiatrist.
With repeated sessions, the cause of the depression is analyzed and the person will get counseling plus medication to cope with the problem. It is also important for the person to be treated lovingly and also understood for their problem rather than scolded as they cannot help it. If possible the living environment should be changed as this helps to forget things that caused the depression to set on. Medication should be taken regularly and under supervision so that the desired results can be gained from such treatment.