Q:
I have been experiencing the craziest mood swings lately. I'll be sitting in my room feeling just fine, very happy in fact, then suddenly I'll feel incredibly depressed. I've had this problem for a few years, but since coming to school (I'm a freshman), it's gotten more extreme. Sometimes I feel very happy for no apparent reason, then suddenly, I'll become more sad than words can ever describe. I'll feel worthless, and just completely alone. I'll feel like everyone hates me, which I know is not true, yet for some reason I feel this way. Lately, the mood swings have been coming on more often, and the "down time" far outlasts the "up time." I'll try to reason with myself, telling myself that I'm everything I'm feeling is all lies, yet it doesn't work. The worst part is when I'm experiencing "down time," stressful situations make them extremely worse. I don't think they're severe enough to be bipolar. I thought that it might be depression, but is that possible since every once in a while (not often though), I feel a burst of energy and am happy for no apparent reason?
A:
Mood swings are not typical and do not need to be extreme to be compatible with bipolar disorder. When your moods are causing you this much distress, it deserves a closer look with our mental health care providers as there could be a physiological explanation. You do not need to put up with this much unpredictability in your moods and energy as there are excellent options for treating and managing mood swings.
~The Doc
