Sudden massive slumps in mood

[ConnectingFive]

Just wondering if anyone else has this. I have always had tendencies towards anxiety and depression, pretty much my whole life, but over maybe the past year or so I've experienced quite extreme dips in mood over the period of one day. I'll often wake up feeling fine, go about my morning, and then maybe mid afternoon I suddenly (and I really do mean suddenly, it comes out of nowhere) feel incredibly low and just want to go to my bed and not speak to anyone, feeling really sad and like nothing good will happen. I sometimes perk up in the evening, then I'm fine the next morning. This happens maybe 3 or 4 times a week and I can't really link it to anything tangible that's happening in my life. I have quite a lot of stress linked to family stuff but I feel like that would affect me all the time if that makes sense.

It's getting me down as I feel like I can't trust my own brain! I have had terrible experiences of anti depressants in the past so I really, really don't want to go down that route. I'm 33 with very regular periods so I don't think peri menopause is the issue either, although I suppose it could be.

Thoughts and experiences welcome...

Could it be hunger? Are you eating enough nutritious food?
Could be iron deficiency

My diet is very good. I suppose I could have an iron deficiency but I would be quite surprised.

This sounds similar to what I experience, which has got more frequent and noticeable over the last 1-2 years. It's almost like one extreme to the other!

Yes that's it beaver. It hasn't been too bad today but I had a definite slump at about 2.

Could be sugar levels after lunch, perhaps have an apple and cheese or some protein ready as a snack?

I've tried snacks as wondered if it was a sugar slump but it hasn't really made a difference. Also whilst it's mostly in the afternoon it does sometimes hit me mid morning too.

I wonder if your blood pressure might be dropping? Maybe try having a bag of salty popcorn or some olives.

This was me last year. It got so bad I was desperate to start on antidepressants, my GP wasn't against the idea but when she asked me what I do for myself I genuinely couldn't give her an answer apart from snack.

Since December I've introduced regular exercise (cardio 3/4 times a week, it's also time to myself away from the kids), time outside every day and I've cut out sugar.
It's made a huge difference and I now only get these slumps maybe once every few weeks.

Try sweet and salty popcorn, a hot drink and some water, plus get some fresh air and daylight with a ten minute walk. That should cover a dip in blood sugar, a drop in blood pressure, dehydration, tiredness and lack of exposure to daylight and fresh air over winter, along with a short break from screens/people. Throw in a quick face wash in the bathroom with hot water after the walk and if you're still uncomfortable, have a look at your posture at work, as poking your head forward to look at a screen strains your neck, which can also make you feel crappy very quickly. I'm assuming you have breakfast so you aren't running on empty before you even start your day?

If none of that helps after a week, keep doing them but it might sort out a significant part of the issue in itself.

Oh my goodness this happens to me. The moment it gets dark I go from being a somewhat functioning human to getting ready to leave my husband, sadness, guilt and just all the feelings.

I had this yesterday - it was so weird and went off around 8pm. I had blamed it on my hormones and stress levels as I am on my period now plus got all sorts of sub level stress going on but its interesting to know others are feeling the same. I am on 20mg Citalopram daily to keep my depression under control and I dread to think what I would have been like without it.

I definitely snack! And I exercise too. I run 5-10k 5 days a week.

And yes I have breakfast too. It's just completely weird.