mood swings
Temperamental ups, downs
Mood swings are rapid or dramatic shifts in emotional state—from elation to despair, calm to irritability, or any sharp change in feeling.
The term often appears in discussions of mental health, hormonal changes, or temperament: Her mood swings made it hard to predict how she'd react.
A single instance is a mood swing.
Having two opposite poles
- cyclothymiaMild mood disorder
- borderline personalityMood and identity dysregulation
- emotional dysregulationPoor control over feelings
- schizoaffectiveCombined psychotic and mood condition
depression · mania · anxiety · dysthymia · antidepressants · psychiatry · psychotherapy · cognitive behavioral therapy
Extremes of experience
- ups and downsAlternating good and bad
- instabilityTendency toward unpredictable change
- fluctuationIrregular change over time
- outburstsSudden emotional eruptions
irritability · euphoria · despair · agitation · restlessness · withdrawal · sensitivity · overreaction
Prone to sudden change
- volatileLiable to sudden change
- capriciousSubject to sudden changes
- fickleErratically disloyal in affection
- erraticLacking regularity or consistency
unpredictable · temperamental · changeable · inconsistent · impulsive · irritable · touchy · explosive
Pressure, mental or vocal
- fatigueWeariness from prolonged exertion
- sleep deprivationInadequate rest condition
- burnoutChronic occupational depletion
- overwhelmDefeat by excess
blood sugar · caffeine · alcohol · medication · seasonal changes · grief · trauma · conflict
Pre-period symptom cluster
- menopauseEnd of fertility
- perimenopausePhase before fertility ends
- pubertySexual development stage
- pregnancyCarrying developing offspring
postpartum · menstrual cycle · estrogen · progesterone · testosterone · thyroid · cortisol · endocrine
bipolar
Having two opposite poles
- cyclothymiaMild mood disorder
- borderline personalityMood and identity dysregulation
- emotional dysregulationPoor control over feelings
schizoaffective · depression · mania · anxiety · dysthymia · antidepressants · psychiatry · psychotherapy · cognitive behavioral therapy · neurotransmitters
highs and lows
Extremes of experience
- ups and downsAlternating good and bad
- instabilityTendency toward unpredictable change
- fluctuationIrregular change over time
outbursts · irritability · euphoria · despair · agitation · restlessness · withdrawal · sensitivity · overreaction · meltdown
mercurial
Prone to sudden change
- volatileLiable to sudden change
- capriciousSubject to sudden changes
- fickleErratically disloyal in affection
erratic · unpredictable · temperamental · changeable · inconsistent · impulsive · irritable · touchy · explosive · reactive
stress
Pressure, mental or vocal
- fatigueWeariness from prolonged exertion
- sleep deprivationInadequate rest condition
- burnoutChronic occupational depletion
overwhelm · blood sugar · caffeine · alcohol · medication · seasonal changes · grief · trauma · conflict · isolation
PMS
Pre-period symptom cluster
- menopauseEnd of fertility
- perimenopausePhase before fertility ends
- pubertySexual development stage
pregnancy · postpartum · menstrual cycle · estrogen · progesterone · testosterone · thyroid · cortisol · endocrine · hypothyroidism
- symptomsfever, headache, pain, nausea, rash
- stress effectsinsomnia, headaches, anxiety, muscle tension, fatigue
- teen behavioreye rolling, back talk, backtalk, door slamming, defiance
- gender humorgender stereotypes, husband jokes, wife jokes, dating humor, mansplaining
- hormonal changesmenopause, andropause, perimenopause, low testosterone, hypogonadism
- hormonal symptomsbloating, hot flashes, cramps, weight gain, headaches
mood swingsemotional stability
Resilient, even-keeled temperament
equanimity · even keel · levelheadedness · composure · steadiness
mood swingsemotional regulation
Managing internal feeling states
self-control · emotional balance · temperance · self-possession · stoicism
mood swingsflat affect
Diminished emotional expressiveness
apathy · numbness · indifference · detachment
swing, mood, moody, moods, moodiness, moodily, moodier, moodiest, mood swing