My mood drops so rapidly

[Dancer12345]

I can be feeling fine, or even really happy and positive, and then something relatively minor can happen, which affects me massively and my mood plummets at the flick of a switch. I then feel really low and miserable, cry, feel worthless, what’s the point, etc. I’m normally better the next day.

Does anyone else have this? I’ve only really noticed it so intensely in the last maybe year or so.

I’ve always struggled with my mood and anxiety, and have been on and off antidepressants for around 18 years. These mood drops have only been a more recent thing though.

Is this something that has happened since the pandemic or before that? Do you think that it could be having an effect on your mood?

How old are you? Peri-menopause springs to mind.

I feel exactly the same, have been worse the last couple of months presumably because of lockdown.

I wish I could offer you some advice but I've no idea how to handle it, only today I've downloaded a couple of apps to try (happify and mood part). I haven't been on ADs for about 20 years and I don't want to go back on them so id rather explore other avenues.

How old are you? I'm perimenopausal and I've been worse the last couple of years so I'm wondering if it's hormone related, so I'm going to speak to my doctor about that.

Moodpath, not part....

Moodpath, not part....

It’s been happening before lockdown so not linked to that.
I’m mid-30s - isn’t that young for peri-menopause? Although I was due a scan in April for dodgy bleeding, so possibly something going on.

This happens to me too. Always been this way though, drives me mad but rarely can pull myself out of it, just need to go to bed and start again. It happens more when I'm tired though

@LolaColaMola

This happens to me too. Always been this way though, drives me mad but rarely can pull myself out of it, just need to go to bed and start again. It happens more when I'm tired though

I struggle to get out of it too. I often find I have to talk to someone about it and have a cry, which helps a bit and then the next day I tend to feel better. It annoys me as it feels ridiculous to suddenly feel so low, and it annoys me when I’ve been feeling really positive and then wham!

I'm very similar.
It's got so bad recently that I've bought some CBD oil to try and see if this makes a difference.
I want to break the cycle of feeling so low and then better.
No clue if it's placebo effect or not but am feeling a bit more steady two weeks in.

Yep. I hate it. Like you it is not new in lockdown but I am finding it’s getting worse again lately - the “coronacoaster” is definitely a thing!

I get really frustrated that I can’t seem to have more than a couple of good days at a time.

I’m having acceptance therapy which sounds a bit hippy but it’s been far more helpful than CBT. I’m more able to just let the bad times happen and I actually get through them a bit quicker as I don’t get bogged down in guilt about feeling so useless.

I’m the same. I’ve been tracking my cycle and I seem to be moody during ovulation as well as pmt. I’m mid 30s. I used an app to help figure it out. I haven’t found anything that helps yet

I thought it was only me. I've been like this for a long time. Worse when tired, hungry, bored. I really beat myself up about it and get cross that it happens, which undoubtedly makes it worse. I had a bad day today. If I can get the day off to a good start it's usually better, and if it happens is often between about 3-7. Prozac/fluoxetine does seem to help.

I'm 40 and I get like this approx ten days before my period...I turn into Carrie I swear 👿 it's bloody awful as I'm a totally different person and there is nothing to get me out of it - I've started to recognise that I am better to distance from everyone (for their sake 🙈) until I feel more myself.

Here's a good article...

i.stuff.co.nz/life-style/well-good/teach-me/113666670/perimenopause-lead-up-to-menopause-very-uncomfortable-and-poorly-understood

Lots of good advice and ideas here already. I was wondering, do you know why minor things effect your mood so much? Only because for me this is part of my (diagnosed) anxiety/depression in that even relatively minor things set off a thought process where everything is catastrophised... I'm not saying that is what is happening to you, but might be something to think about. I really genuinely hadn't realised how self critical I was until I did some cbt exercises where you write down how you internally respond to negative events. It was illuminating (and a bit upsetting). Might be something to think about?

@EnterFunnyNameHere

Lots of good advice and ideas here already. I was wondering, do you know why minor things effect your mood so much? Only because for me this is part of my (diagnosed) anxiety/depression in that even relatively minor things set off a thought process where everything is catastrophised... I'm not saying that is what is happening to you, but might be something to think about. I really genuinely hadn't realised how self critical I was until I did some cbt exercises where you write down how you internally respond to negative events. It was illuminating (and a bit upsetting). Might be something to think about?

Yes, I do tend to catastrophise at times. It’s just the way that I can be feeling so good and then completely drop in an instant. Almost before I’ve even had any thoughts and time to catastrophise (although I must be subconsciously).

Good to know I’m not the only one, but sorry that others struggle with this too. It’s so hard when I’m feeling good to just go the complete opposite and find it difficult to lift myself again.

Yes I feel the same, and you’ve articulated very well how quickly the feelings come on and how all consuming they are.

I hadn’t really connected with possibly being hormonal (apart from 1-3 days before my period, when I’m generally a sore boobed bloated grump).

I’ve been trying to use the Calm app when I go into my sudden rages / mini depressions, I find it does bring me back to a more level place.

Yup, i only get it when triggered and i get REALLY low. Can vary in severity though.get suicidal ideation, although Id never act on it, cry etc etc usually better once ive gone to bed and slept it off. Ive always wondered if its 'something' but just learnt to live with it

Yep the same. Usually a minor irritation by DH and I am low for days

Yep I get this. I'm late 40s and although I've always had this to some degree it's become alot worse in the last 10 maybe 15 years.
In recent years I've had quite a although time of life and actually relate it more now to being at the end of my tether, but just below the surface. So here I am getting on with life, having a good time, doing a job I love and all seems.ok, but actually underneath that happiness there is maybe some level of stress/unhappiness. So when that 1 small thing happens that tips me over edge into the depths of doom 9f gloom, it is literally the draw breaking the camels back.
But then 8 think, normal 0eople cope ok. My reaction is so extreme. I spent all 9f last Sunday in bed dructibg between sleeping and crying all because of something fairly minor my DH said. What a waste of a day!!

I get this too, glad you’ve posted actually as it makes me feel less alone that other people feel the same way.

I’m almost 36 so have also wondered if it’s part of peri-menopause. My mood can plummet in an instant, the smallest thing can set me off. I also find it’s affects my libido and sex life, for the first part of my cycle I will be affectionate and more than happy to initiate sex but around mid cycle this drops off a cliff like overnight and I find myself isolating from DH. To his credit he is supportive and understands but it must be difficult to live with virtually two different people across the month.

I would say I’ve been feeling like this for the past 12-18 months, it coincided with my periods getting heavier and closer together too!

If it's helpful to anyone, the cbt exercise I did which really brought it together was one where you think about what thoughts triggered the process (do this when feeling calm not in the midst of it!). Then think "what thoughts did I have when triggered" and how did I feel as a result. I found a lot of mine were that I jump to the worst conclusion. As in, mistake at work = everyone thinks I'm crap at my job. Then you move on to thinking more objectively of evidence for and against that thought, before coming up with a more balanced thought response.

I'm still learning, so no expert, but it really made me realise how for me I'm very critical. If someone else did the same thing I wouldn't think badly of them...

Not an exact fit for the original poster but some of the others sound like
PMDD. Have a wee google.

@MrsTannyFickler

Yep I get this. I'm late 40s and although I've always had this to some degree it's become alot worse in the last 10 maybe 15 years. In recent years I've had quite a although time of life and actually relate it more now to being at the end of my tether, but just below the surface. So here I am getting on with life, having a good time, doing a job I love and all seems.ok, but actually underneath that happiness there is maybe some level of stress/unhappiness. So when that 1 small thing happens that tips me over edge into the depths of doom 9f gloom, it is literally the draw breaking the camels back. But then 8 think, normal 0eople cope ok. My reaction is so extreme. I spent all 9f last Sunday in bed dructibg between sleeping and crying all because of something fairly minor my DH said. What a waste of a day!!

Yes, that’s how I feel too - other people aren’t affected by minor things like I am. They seem to just be able to accept and move on, whereas for me it means a day or feeling horrendous.

@EnterFunnyNameHere

If it's helpful to anyone, the cbt exercise I did which really brought it together was one where you think about what thoughts triggered the process (do this when feeling calm not in the midst of it!). Then think "what thoughts did I have when triggered" and how did I feel as a result. I found a lot of mine were that I jump to the worst conclusion. As in, mistake at work = everyone thinks I'm crap at my job. Then you move on to thinking more objectively of evidence for and against that thought, before coming up with a more balanced thought response.

I'm still learning, so no expert, but it really made me realise how for me I'm very critical. If someone else did the same thing I wouldn't think badly of them...

Thanks, will have a go at this. I’m definitely my worst critic!