Am I Emotionally Unstable

Do you ever feel as though your moods are ever-changing and, oftentimes, can be extreme? Do you find yourself feeling happy as ever one minute then falling apart the next? If you believe that you may be emotionally unstable, we are here to let you know the signs and symptoms to keep an eye out for.

Signs You May be Emotionally Unstable

We all experience mood swings every once in a while, but some of us experience intense changes in moods and extreme emotions. Understanding the signs and symptoms of emotional instability can allow you to seek the help you may need. The signs of emotional instability include:

Rapid Changes in Mood

Experiencing changes in your mood throughout the day is a normal part of everyday life. However, if you find that your mood changes rapidly, with little to no explanation, this could be a sign that your emotions are unstable. While rapid changes in mood can be caused by emotional instability, there are a few other possible explanations for it. A rapid change in mood can possibly be due to certain mental health disorders, hormonal issues, substances, and many other possibilities.

Your Moods Feel Extreme and are Hard to Control

When it feels as though your emotions are running the show, it may be time to seek the help of mental health professionals. If your moods feel extreme and hard to control, it may be because you are suffering from a mental or physical health disorder or because your emotions are unstable.

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When it feels as though your emotions are running the show, it may be time to seek the help of a mental health professional.

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You Tend to Have Drama in Your Relationships.

When you struggle with unstable emotions, your relationships will begin to suffer. Having little to no control over your emotions will lead to drama, pain, and distance. The instability of your emotions may affect your friends, partners, and family's ability to trust you, feel comfortable around you, or talk to you. For example, understanding how to have a successful marriage mage be difficult for you.

If you feel as though your emotional instability is hurting your relationships, seeking the help of a mental health professional may help you work your way to healthy ways of dealing with your emotions.

You Struggle to Stick to Your Word

When your mood is ever-changing, you may find yourself struggling to stick to your original word. This could be because as your moods change, your mind is changing along with them. You may find yourself constantly cancelling plans, breaking promises, and unable to make concrete decisions.

You Struggle to Feel Empathy

When your emotions are ever-changing and often feel as though they have taken control of you, you may find yourself struggling to empathise with other people because you are so caught up in your own head. When someone is emotionally unstable, they tend to struggle to see a world outside of themselves.

You Fear Criticism and Rejection

When someone is emotionally unstable, they do not have strong coping mechanisms to allow them to properly deal with criticism or rejection. A person who is emotionally unstable will find themselves experiencing extreme emotions when criticised or rejected, so they may just do what they can to avoid feeling that way.

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A person who is emotionally unstable will find themselves experiencing extreme emotions when criticised or rejected, so they may just do what they can to avoid feeling that way.

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You Have Trouble Coming Down from Your Emotions

If you find yourself experiencing moods and emotions that are so intense, that you struggle to calm yourself down, you may be showing signs of being emotionally unstable. You may not possess the skills necessary to calm yourself down, meaning your emotions tend to become more and more aroused.

You are Impulsive

You may find yourself making big life decisions on a whim like adopting a puppy, breaking up with your partner, or moving to a new city. This isn't always a bad thing but can begin to negatively impact your quality of life if you do it too often.

Tips For Dealing with Unstable Emotions

Dealing with unstable emotions can really begin to take a toll on your mental health, leaving you feeling drained and alone. If you are struggling with unstable emotions, seeking the help of a mental health professional may provide you with personalised information to help you understand why you are feeling this way and how to cope. Some other tips for dealing with unstable emotions are:

Take Care of Your Overall Health

When you take care of your physical health, your mental health thrives and vice versa. Make sure that you are getting plenty of fluids in throughout your day, eating filling and nutritious foods, getting in some form of daily exercise, and getting enough sleep. Also, make time to take care of your mental health by journaling, meditating, or just by getting outside. It's surprising what a little self-care can do for you emotional stability.

Create Routines and Structure

If your environment promotes stability, your emotions will likely follow. You may find that your emotions feel the most extreme in your downtime, so scheduling something to do may help you avoid emotional turmoil. On the other hand, you may find yourself struggling with unstable emotions when you have too much on your plate, so scheduling in some relaxation time may help you maintain your emotional stability. As you create routines, schedules, and structure around your external life, you may feel your internal self becoming more stable because you have a good idea of what to expect from your day.

Practice Mindfulness, Journaling, and Meditation

Mindfulness, journaling, and meditation are great tools when you feel as though your emotions are spinning out of control. When you are performing these three practices, you are able to better understand where your emotions are coming from, which may grant you more control over them. You can practice mindfulness by paying attention to your sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch. There are tons of meditation guidance videos on YouTube to help you practice meditation. For journaling, you can either follow a journaling prompt (there are tons on Pinterest and Google), or you can simply write whatever comes to mind.

Final Words

Emotional instability is hard to deal with. Your relationships suffer, your mental health suffers, and your overall quality of life suffers. If you find that your emotional instability is negatively impacting you life, reaching out to a mental health professional can truly help you find the root causes to your emotional instability, understand your triggers, and learn new coping mechanisms to get through the times your emotions feel like they are spinning out of control.