Mood swings - anyone else?

[sleepyhorse]

Really struggling with my extreme mood swings. One day I can feel on top of the world, wake up and go for a run, get the kids sat down with the home schooling, get loads of jobs done around the house etc be in good spirits. The next I can go through the exact opposite, no motivation and stay in my pj’s all day, really low mood and want to be by myself in other room either reading or watching Netflix and at times avoiding zoom quiz’s with husband and friends (making my excuses) eating and drinking too much, being snappy with husband, feeling generally rubbish and useless and then the guilt creeps in. Is this normal during these strange times?

Same here. Very up and down, from hour to hour sometimes.

Today has been better, I got up and dressed and have eaten at normal mealtimes, had facetime with family. Got the 3pm slump now though.

The guilt is real too, I should be doing couch to 5K or reading books or learning a language or sorting the loft out. And yet I am on the sofa drinking tea. I am premenstrual though.

Sparklingbrook - yes I know what you mean, I have a huge list of jobs to do in the house. Husband been working hard in the garden with just makes me feel even more useless and on my off days I’m just eating so much rubbish. Yet on my good days I eat so healthy. I need some balance! I know routine really helps but how do you control your mood? Any tips from you lovely lot would be appreciated - feel like I’m losing it! I’m wondering if I should start taking steps Johns wart?

*st johns wart

I am taking Vitamin D as that may or may not help and I am trying to get outside every single day.
I am sitting here now looking at the back lawn which is full of daisies and needs mowing. It would be a triple whammy-exercise/vitamin D/fresh air, and would not take too long if I just got on with it.

But I will have to go in the garage and get the mower out and find the lead and the garden has fox poo in so will need to get that up first and afterwards I will have to clean the mower. So I talk myself out of it while looking at the lawn and being pissed off about it.

I had a good day last week. Got up at 7am, walked 6K after only planning a stroll around the block. Felt energised after that so wonder if getting up and exercising as soon as possible might be the key.

Motivation is everything at this point.

Being at home has really made me notice how my moods are affected by my menstrual cycle. So from day 21 that dip starts. From a quick bit of online research looks like I'm oestrogen dominant and its caused by a dip on progesterone. Not sure what I can do about it though!

Oh yes! Terrible mood swings here.

Definitely.

Much of the time I feel fine as really, my day to day life under 'lockdown' isn't so different from my normal life. And then suddenly I'll remember that around this time of the year I would usually be busy travelling for work and meeting lots of interesting people and I ask myself when - if ever - I'll be doing that again. Then I feel really down, sometimes just burst into tears and can't be arsed doing anything other than surfing the web and watching Netflix.

This last week has been pretty bad in general. I do occasionally have moments of optimism, but generally I've been feeling that things look pretty bleak.

I’m premenstrual too so feel your pain. I’m ok in a morning but then this last 3 days the after-lunch slump has hit me so I’ve disappeared for a nap.
I think you’re right that you notice the mood changes more when you’re not as busy and on the go and especially during this strange time we’re living through.
Apparently it’s called the Coronacoaster 😆

I have motivated days and lethargic days, I get that outside of lockdown too but there’s less to distract me now when I’m feeling lethargic and it’s all too easy to wallow.
I find I’m much better in the morning so I try to get exercise and chores done first thing which somewhat alleviates the guilt when I spend all afternoon on the sofa.

Agree about doing things first thing in the morning. Today I woke up and said I'd do my usual exercise routine in the afternoon instead of the morning. It's after 4 now and I'm still sat here at my computer with little motivation to exercise. Best to do that sort of thing in the morning because otherwise you just won't do it. Or maybe that's just me?

No I totally agree @IcedPurple. If I haven't been out for a walk by midday I tend to not go. If I do it in the morning I feel like I have done something and feel a bit more likely to do other stuff after.

Yes and I think for the me it’s the not knowing when life will resume to some normality. If we had a date to work towards where we knew it’s would get back to normal I think I could be really motivated and get fit, healthy and back into shape but I just keeping falling back into that mindset of ‘what’s the point’

Absolutely Op. One day I’m completely fine and the next I’m not - it’s almost alternate days now, I put it down to all the stress. The corona coaster seems a good description.
But I keep reminding myself to be kind to myself and not being a competitive isolation idiot. I want to come out of this with a semblance of sanity 🤪

I think it goes back to the paradox that the more time you have, the less you get done. When you've only got a limited amount of spare time, you get organised and get things done. But when the empty days stretch out in front of you with no end in sight, it's easy to say 'Oh I'll paint the spare room next week' or 'I'll clear out my wardrobe tomorrow'. Which of course never happens.

I’ve had pmt for a week now getting gradually worse. I wish it would just bloody hurry up and come so I can get it over with. I can’t concentrate, I’m anxious and I’m hellishly irritable! DH is doing my head in and I feel trapped. I’ve just grabbed my phone and am out for a walk. I’ve been alright up to now but the thought of at least another 3 weeks all of us cooped up together is making me feel stressed. Have to say this is not doing my marriage any good!