Topic: behavioral-change

Question: What's going on with these mood swings?
I'm a teenager and I get these really intense mood swings.    My mood will be really high and I'll think of something that I want to do. When I start to make it happen I get irritated by other people if they intervene. Then if the thing I wanted to do doesn't work out, I have these tendencies to blame other people for it not working out.    Can you explain what's going on?

Answer (from Jennifer GerlachYour Story Matters):
Mood swings and getting frustrated when things don't work out is totally normal. Sometimes, we get tied to one thing we really want to do and it can feel pretty intense when that gets interrupted or doesn't work out. This said, you're coming to CounselChat and so I'm guessing this is something that is pretty intense for you and something that you are concerned about. If this is getting in the way of your life, it may be worthwhile to reach out to a therapist or doctor to get some help with this and see if there might be something more going on. While for most people frustration/mood swings is related to typical life and stress, if very intense it can be a sign of a number of challenges ranging from anxiety to a traumatic experience to something like Bipolar Disorder where a person's mood and energy might fly so high (mania) that one feels like they can do anything but often become frustrated when interrupted (note: there is a lot more to Bipolar Disorder than this and this is certainly not a diagnosis). Wish you well!

Answer (from Sherry Katz, LCSWCouples and Family Therapist, LCSW):
Why do you blame other people who had nothing to do with your actions?If it is because after the fact you wish you had accepted their help, then the person who is responsible for this is you!Since you are aware of your tendencies and how the interfere with your life, try to become aware of when you do these habits.This way you can interrupt your own patterns a little bit at a time.

Answer (from Marsha MandelMandel Counseling):
Teenagers are prone to mood swings due to developmental and hormonal changes that are rapidly and intensely occurring in your body and mind - so some of this happens to many people in your stage of development. You are not at all alone.You've taken the first and very important step in regulating your moods by just identifying that you are having these intense changes instead of being completely submerged in them and unaware! The more you are able to be a witness to your emotions and thoughts, the more you can learn to manage them. Your question offers several clues for strategies that you can try - for example, identify the warning signs for becoming irritated and plan a response, such as taking a deep breath, informing the person you are becoming irritated and need some space, or find a distraction temporarily like listening to music or going for a walk. Since you are aware of blaming others for things not working out, you can proactively make a personal commitment to taking ownership or personal responsibility by just thinking about it and practicing thoughts such as "I am responsible for my efforts" and "Blame is not helpful for anyone" and other thoughts that you believe and can repeat related to this insight. When you practice thinking more rational, healthy thoughts, you are actually rewiring your brain, so practice is key!