Mood swing
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mood swings
It is common knowledge that what you eat can affect how you feel and, conversely, that how you feel can affect what you eat. Many people feel depressed, agitated, and tense before eating carbohydrate-rich foods, but happy and relaxed afterwards. High protein, low carbohydrate diets are sometimes associated with feelings of depression and an intense craving for foods such as chocolate.
Until about 30 years ago, most nutritional scientists denied that mood can be affected by diet. They believed that the membrane separating the blood from the brain (the blood-brain barrier) effectively kept dietary chemicals out of the brain. More recent research has forced many of these scientists to change their mind. It has been demonstrated that certain chemicals, such as the amino acid tryptophan, can penetrate the blood-brain barrier and affect behaviour. Mood appears to be affected by a complex interaction between diet and other factors, including sex, hormone levels, time of day, and even time of month. After eating carbohydrates, men tend to become calmer and women sleepier. A high carbohydrate meal eaten for breakfast usually has less effect than the same meal taken at lunch. Women tend to have a keener desire for carbohydrates for the 10 days before menstruation than during the 10 days after.
Although most scientists now agree that diet can cause mood swings, they are still unsure about the precise mechanisms involved. As yet, they are unable to predict with certainty the effects of specific types of food on the mood of a particular individual. See also serotonin.
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Mood swing
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A mood swing is an extreme or rapid change in mood. When these changes start to become controlling, mood swings can start to affect the way someone functions.[1]
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Associated disorders
Mood swings that last for days or even weeks. These episodes discover in consist of the patient alternating rapidly between depression and euphoria.[2]
Another major cause of mood swings are hyperactivity or hyperactivity/inattentiveness, as they are occasionally seen in individuals diagnosed with Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. If the mood swing is not associated with a mood disorder, treatments are harder to assign. Most commonly, however, mood swings can be a result of dealing with daily life and/or unexpected situations.
Other causes of mood swings are due to hormonal changes, temporarily upsetting brain chemistry. As the hormones involved normalize, these mood swings generally subside on their own.
What to look for
Changes in a person's energy level, sex drive, sleep patterns, self esteem, concentration, drug or alcohol use can be signs of an oncoming mood disorder.[3]
Cause
There are many different things that might trigger a mood swing in a person. Every day people experience small changes in their mood; however, if these mood swings take control of a person's life and prevent normal functioning, medical advice may be appropriate.[citation needed]
- Chemical imbalance
If a person has an abnormal level of certain neurotransmitters (NTs) in their brain, it may result to having mood swings or a mood disorder. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter in the brain that is involved with sleep, moods, and emotional states. A slight imbalance of this NT could result in depression. Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter that is involved with learning, memory, and physical arousal. Like serotonin, an imbalance of norepinephrine may also result in depression. Also, a woman having PMS or menstruating may have mood swings or changes.
See also
References
- ^ "Natural Mood Stabilizers for Violent Mood Swings and Mood Disorders." Violent Mood Swings & Mood Disorders. Web. 29 Feb. 2012.
- ^ Hockenbury, Don and Sandra (2011). Discovering Psychology Fifth Edition. New York, NY: Worth Publishers. p. 549.
- ^ "Bipolar Mood Swings, Stabilizers, Triggers, and Mania." WebMD. WebMD, 03 May 0000. Web. 29 Feb. 2012.
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Food and Fitness: A Dictionary of Diet and Exercise. Copyright © 1997, 2003 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.
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