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This treatable mental illness affects 3% of adult Americans each year. They may feel unmotivated, sad, or even suicidal. But someone with bipolar disorder may stay in bed for 4 days and lose that job. Similarly, it's not uncommon to have trouble getting out of bed to go to a job you don't like. Someone with bipolar disorder, though, can spend several days or weeks being the life of the party: racing around, talking fast, not sleeping much, and doing destructive things like running through the family's bank account. People with bipolar disorder have highs and lows that are much more intense and longer-lasting than usual mood swings.įor example, it's normal to feel great, like everything's going your way, for a day or two. When it's severe, it can be almost impossible to get through the day. You could be diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder if you've had trouble controlling your worries more often than not for the past 6 months and you have additional symptoms such as trouble sleeping. Some people feel uneasy, fearful, and worried even when they realize there's no good reason. Lack of sleep, a common complaint of people under stress, doesn't help. And when you're especially sensitive, you may react more strongly or more often to situations than other people. Stress and Anxietyĭay-to-day hassles and unexpected surprises - both the good kind and the unpleasant ones - can definitely change your mood. Lifestyle changes can often help mild ones.īut first, you'll need to figure out what could be causing your bumpy ride. Serious mood shifts that threaten your well-being can be treated by medical professionals. Or they could be a clue that something else is happening in your body. Sometimes, mood swings are a symptom of a mental illness. For example, because of body rhythms, most people feel upbeat and energetic around noon but tend to have more negative feelings during the early afternoon or evening. Many things can affect how your mood shifts throughout the day. It seems like you spend your days riding an emotional roller coaster.Īre these changes normal? The answer is "maybe" - so long as they don't disrupt your life or the lives of people around you.
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