If you experience mood swings on a regular basis, you may feel as though your life is out of control. Your changeable mood could be making it extremely difficult for you to thrive in your career, enjoy positive relationships, and take pride in your behavior. Instead of securing success, you could be struggling to make it through each and every day. However, it doesn’t have to be this way. For every problem there is a solution, and there are so many solutions to mood swings! Below are five steps that will take you down a different path.

Understand your chemical balance

First and foremost, you should understand your chemical balance. You might be surprised by just how much of an effect this can have on your mood. Of course you are still in control of your actions, but there could be an underlying issue that you need to deal with. Even if your levels are fairly normal, it is still worth your while looking into the various ups and downs you are experiencing. Why not start by reading up on the big three: Dopamine Serotonin Oxytocin?

Speak with a therapist

The next step is to speak with a therapist. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to talk through any painful memories from your past. You can also discuss any harmful habits and come up with a strategy for moving forward. Perhaps you need to distance yourself from toxic individuals. Or, maybe you need to secure closure on a past relationship. Whatever the issue, hearing from an objective observer will help you to work through it.

Keep a journal

When you speak to your therapist, it is likely that they will recommend you start keeping a journal. There is no better way for you to order your thoughts, so it is important that you get started as soon as possible. Don’t worry if you hate writing; not all journals have to focus on words. Your journal could include photos, drawings, and cuttings from magazines. What matters is that you have a safe and secure space for letting out your emotions. You should also reflect on your past entries, as this will help you to map out your mood swings.  

Find an outlet for your pent up emotions

Once you have identified the root cause of your mood swings, you will need to find an appropriate outlet. Whilst it is possible for you to take control of some aspects of your life, there may be elements that are beyond your reach. If this is the case, you will have plenty of emotions that need to be released. You could take up martial arts, try your hand at painting, or go for a run. Just remember: the worst thing you can do is to keep your feelings bottled up.  

Don’t be too hard on yourself  

Finally, you should learn to forgive yourself. No matter how well you understand your mood swings and what causes them, it is still possible that you will slip up from time to time. Instead of viewing this as an epic failure, you need to view each and every mood swing as a learning experience. You also need to accept the fact that you are only human and capable of making mistakes.