Skip to content 
While mood fluctuations are a normal part of life especially when you are going through tough times, they can be a serious cause for concern when they last for extended periods and interfere with your daily activities, job responsibilities, and activities you have planned with friends and family. How can you deal with uncontrollable shifts in your emotions? And when is it time to talk to a therapist about your psychological challenges?
In this article we will explore the concepts of emotional variability and labile mood, figure out how they adversely impact your psyche and interpersonal relationships, and look at some strategies you can utilize to stabilize your emotions.
Defining Labile Mood
Labile mood refers to random and quick shifts in your emotional state that you cannot control or foresee. These mood swings are severe and intense – while one moment you are happy, smiling, and laughing, the next moment you are overcome by a desire to scream, cry, and take it out on anyone who gets in your way.
While mood lability is often considered an issue of children and adolescents and scientific research has emphasized the connection between mood lability and bipolar disorder in young people, it can occur at various ages as well as signify the presence of other mental health conditions.
Common Causes of Labile Mood
Labile mood usually occurs after several factors contribute to uncontrolled and rapid shifts in a person’s emotional expression:
- Neurological conditions such as head and brain injuries, strokes, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis may affect your emotional regulation and result in emotional lability.
- Labile mood is a common symptom of several mental health disorders – schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, borderline personality disorder, and bipolar disorder often manifest for the first time through intense mood swings and emotional dysregulation.
- Some individuals experience rare adverse effects after taking certain medications such as mood stabilizers and antidepressants – while these prescription drugs are supposed to help you cope with mental health issues, in some instances, they may exacerbate existing problems and cause new ones.
Labile Mood Symptoms and Signs
You should be on the lookout for the following symptoms to ensure you do not miss the manifestation of labile mood:
- Random emotional outbursts – you are laughing or crying for no apparent reason.
- Heightened emotional responses that are not proportional to situations you are in.
- Inappropriate reactions – for instance, you start smiling or laughing at a funeral.
- Mood fluctuations that happen over a short period of time and affect your daily functioning and sleep.
- Impulsivity and poor decision-making without any regard for the consequences.
- Difficulties with interpersonal relationships and social situations.
Impact on Daily Life and Relationships
Unfortunately, labile mood has a lasting negative effect on the daily functioning of the individual and their bonds with others:
| Negative Impact | Description |
| Resentment and Arguments | When your mood is impossible to predict, it is certainly hard to communicate with you, understand what you are going through, and avoid confrontation especially if you are unable to support your loved ones during life-altering events |
| Increased Stress and Anxiety | If you cannot regulate your emotions and allow anger or sadness to get the best of you, it will contribute to your distress, make you nervous, and hinder your emotional growth especially if you are a young person experiencing many things for the very first time |
| Withdrawal From Society and Isolation | Whether it is the choice of the person to stay away from others or they feel forced to do so as a result of strained relationships that mattered to them, persistent loneliness is a common consequence of emotional lability |
| Challenges in the Workplace | Sadly, labile mood might take a toll on your professional aspirations as well – if you are not as emotionally stable, productive, and focused as your colleagues or other job candidates, there is less of a chance for you to excel professionally |
Strategies for Managing Labile Mood
There are methods you can use to promote well-being and relaxation when mood lability becomes a major issue:
- Know your triggers and avoid them. If fatigue, stress, or speaking in public cause mood fluctuations, you should be proactive and stay away from activities and events that worsen your condition.
- Distract yourself whether you engage in a new activity or shift your attention from problems with grounding exercises and visualization, until you are able to calm down.
- Prioritize nutrition and sleep, especially if you have other health complications – step by step you will improve and support overall well-being which will certainly affect your mood.
- Create a support network of people you can trust and rely on in difficult moments. You should remain in touch with your family and friends as well as communicate with your peers who can provide you with valuable insight into your condition and share their own experiences.
Therapeutic Approaches
While you and your therapist can figure out together what form of therapy can resonate best with you and yield the results you are hoping for, here is a brief overview of therapy modalities that usually help people overcome labile mood:
| Therapy Modality | Description |
| Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) | The purpose of CBT is to recognize negative thought patterns that make mood fluctuations worse and improve emotional regulation |
| Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) | Patients learn to make peace with their emotions and enhance their self-awareness under the guidance of a DBT practitioner |
| Anger Management Classes | You can identify your triggers, come up with healthy coping mechanisms, and improve communication skills by interacting with fellow patients |
| Mindfulness-Based Therapy | Under the supervision of a therapist or on your own you can meditate, do yoga and breathing exercises, and ground yourself in the present moment with visualization |
| Group Therapy | Sometimes, it is the support of people who go through the same experiences that gives you the comfort and validation you have been missing – connect with your peers in group counseling sessions |
When to Seek Professional Help?
It is up to every individual to decide when they should address and work through their emotion-related challenges but it is usually advisable to speak to a mental health specialist in the following circumstances:
- Mood swings become severe to the point of disrupting your daily activities whether you are working or managing your social life.
- Mood fluctuations are extremely intense, and you feel like you are spiraling out of control whether you feel euphoria or immense sadness.
- Labile mood makes you suspect there is a mental health diagnosis whether you have a mood disorder or a neurological condition that can be treated with therapy and medication.
- Emotional variability makes you feel unsafe, your relationships with your inner circle get worse, or you have suicidal ideations caused by random mood shifts.
Labile Mood and Mental Health Conditions
Emotional instability can be a manifestation of an underlying mental health issue you are not aware of at the moment – for instance, major depressive disorder is often characterized by this symptom since lasting depression results in mood variation. Bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder can also cause you to experience random mood fluctuations which will affect your daily functioning.
Even if you do not think there is a particular event that may have triggered the development of a mental illness, severe mood swings are a good enough reason to schedule an appointment with a mental health professional.
Find Stability at Pacific Coast Mental Health
No matter how long you have struggled with mood lability and emotional variability, there is always a possibility to get your life back on track and handle emotional dysregulation that disrupts your functioning. Talking to a therapist in a healing and comforting environment is a great idea – reach out to Pacific Coast Mental Health today and let us guide you to wellness and calmness with respect and compassion.
FAQs
What causes emotional instability and how does it relate to mood swings?
Trauma, abuse, and neglect experienced during childhood and adulthood, mental health disorders, excessive stress, and lack of stable relationships contribute to emotional instability. It is closely linked to mood fluctuations since it manifests in rapid and intense changes in feelings and mood.
How do affective fluctuations impact daily life and relationships?
It is harder for a person with extreme or frequent mood swings to create emotional bonds with people and succeed professionally. They are more prone to conflicts, tension, and social isolation which makes their life a challenge in numerous ways.
What are common signs of emotional lability and mood variation?
Inappropriate and random emotional reactions, aggressiveness and irritability, overreaction and exaggeration of emotions, and inability to control your behavioral patterns are the most common symptoms of labile mood.
How can psychological states contribute to emotional responses and mood instability?
Your emotions are affected by your anxiety, stress, pessimism or optimism, mood disorders, and cognitive processes such as focus and alertness – basically, these states are responsible for the way you express your emotions and keep them under control when there is an intense mood shift.
What strategies can help manage mood swings and emotional lability effectively?
Mindfulness practices, lifestyle adjustments, and commitment to counseling in various shapes and forms have helped many people to identify their triggers and stabilize their emotions.
