The mood swings are killing me!

[Rain72]

Does anyone else experience massive mood swings? It’s making me feel insane. I’ve never experienced anything this bad for this long — it’s been going on for about nine months. I assume it’s an effect of the pandemic and the isolation, but I just don’t know. 🤦🏻‍♀️ It feels so dark ... Today I felt like being in bed and that’s it. Yesterday I was fine, working and happy. I feel like I’m losing my mind. ☹️

[Krn210]

I have been up and down all around myself. Some days I feel so isolated and alone, while other days I feel positive and like I need to just keep putting one foot in front of the other. This week I have been an irritable mess. I think the pandemic is definitely playing a role in all this and winter. Winter usually starts getting to me towards the end...because it feels like there is no end in sight.

[Rain72 in reply to Krn210]

Thank you, K. It’s maddening, no? I keep hoping for “the end” to it all — the pandemic — and it just seems to keep going and going and going ... And you’re right: winter is not helping.

[Krn210 in reply to Rain72]

It is very much so! It takes me a bit to realize just how short tempered I am being. Which makes me feel sad, but at the same time I can’t help it. Yes I try to recognize it and chill out first, but hey easier said than done sometimes ya know?!

[Rain72 in reply to Krn210]

💯! That’s when I retreat to my bed. I am finding that taking SAM-E is helping. I only take it when I feel myself go dark, and most of the time it helps. That and retreat, like I said. My poor pup is like, “Really? Again?”

[Krn210 in reply to Rain72]

Lol! That is how my little cuddler pup is too. She’s like man from the couch to the bedroom...why are we moving back and forth 😉 Honestly even her clinginess that I usually find so cute has been driving me nuts

[Rain72 in reply to Krn210]

Ha! I get that too! Sometimes I take a little break and close myself up alone in my room for an hour. She’s a comfort the majority of the time, but every once in a while I feel like I’m hanging on by such a thin thread that if anyone soaks up any of my energy, I’ll break.

[Krn210 in reply to Rain72]

Yes! Sometimes I am just touched out. I just want to sit in my own space and just be for a moment. She has no such boundaries. My lap is her chair and she’ll fight for it lol

[Rain72 in reply to Krn210]

Haha! Aww. My girl is a small Lab, and she mostly wants to just be near me, though there’s usually at least one paw touching, and on the couch all bets are off. She and my cat make a mommy sandwich. 😄

[Krn210 in reply to Rain72]

How cute!!! Mine is a little rat terrier. I took her in from my Grandma. Grandma had to go into a nursing home so I took her pup. I think that may have some to do with her attachment issues

[Rain72 in reply to Krn210]

Aww. I’m sure it does! I hate it when nursing homes don’t allow pets to go with their person. Such heartbreak! She’s very lucky to have you.

[Krn210 in reply to Rain72]

I agree. We had fully intended on me taking her pup in for visits but her social worker said that I can’t. She doesn’t want us mentioning the pup or anything from her past. It’s been a mess

[Rain72 in reply to Krn210]

What?! Why??

[Krn210 in reply to Rain72]

She had one weekend where she was really confused and thought that she was getting released. She called me a few times asking me to pick her up. That was the extent of it. The social worker and a couple of the nurses made a huge deal out of it.

[Rain72 in reply to Krn210]

🤦🏻‍♀️ That sounds like a nightmare, K. I’m so sorry for you and your poor grandma. We are so ill prepared to take care of our seniors.

[Krn210 in reply to Rain72]

I agree! I still reminisce with her. She needs that

[Gentlespirit in reply to Krn210]

No her pup is her emotional support and comforting for her. She is grieving for her pup and that is one more thing thats making it harder for her. If she cannot see her dog at least let her know when she can. Studies have proven that individuals in nursing homes or hospitals have some improvement with a pet present. A video may help yet that is still not enough. She needs love too. From everyone. That will be the best medicine for her besides her medication. Please ask again.

[Puppyrunner]

I understand how you are feeling. We are all going through a lot right now. Are you a female by any chance? The only reason I am asking is because I feel like I am constantly going through dramatic mood swings all of the time and I am a female and I am using an IUD for birth control which I think is contributing to it.

[Rain72 in reply to Puppyrunner]

Thank you, PR. I am, and I have wondered if it’s partly hormonal also. Probably wouldn’t hurt to check in with my doctor ... 😕

[teen_anxiety]

I have never had them for that long so I do not know if I can be of much help but, I do get them really really bad around my time of the month. When I first started we thought I was something I would eventually learn to control but to this day I still am unable to control them. I just had to learn how to ride the wave and go with the flow. I do not know if this helps but if not I at least want you to know that you are not alone in this the pandemic is affecting everyone in weird ways. I got some posts that might help more than I was able to in this.

[Rain72 in reply to teen_anxiety]

I hear you! I always get mood swings around my period, but this is all the time, which is maddening! At least when it’s just one period of time per month you can say, oh yeah, it’s hormones, and ride it out. This is like having PMS all the time. 😣

[teen_anxiety in reply to Rain72]

Ya, that would be annoying I'm sorry I am not much more help.

[Rain72 in reply to teen_anxiety]

Just showing up is all any of us need. Thank you for that. 💕

[uniquediamond]

It’s crazy! I’ve always battled mental health issues. Anxiety and depression, but since covid-19 I catch myself battling mood swings more then I have ever! It’s almost like anger and frustration, then sadness for having those thoughts and feelings. I don’t know if this is the best advice, but I feel like we all could use a day where we lay in bed and maybe watch TV or listen to music, now if it becomes an everyday thing that’s when I would label it as an issue. We need to find balance within and focus on that! I do hope you feel better today! We’re all here for you! ❤️

[Rain72 in reply to uniquediamond]

Thank you, diamond. 🙏💕 The mood swings are just in the past nine months, and since we’re coming up on a year since lockdowns started, I’m pretty sure it’s covid-related. But who knows? The world feels completely unknowable in the past several years, and at its worst in the past year. All the “normal” dreams I had before the pandemic, such as visiting new places, feel almost hopeless now as it’s become “whenever that will be.” Every time we think things have leveled out, something else comes up. Now it’s that the new variants not only spread much faster, but you’re also more likely to be hospitalized and/or die from them. In talking with friends this week, we’ve been lamenting about how pointless it feels to make any plans for the future because everything is so chaotic. I’m trying to concentrate on the things I enjoy doing and put the rest aside, but it feels like there’s someone standing outside my home with a megaphone screaming the headlines, and I’m covering my ears trying not to hear. We can’t help it ... I sound like a doomsday prophet today ... I often wish I had the ability to time travel to times that may have not been perfect, but at least there was no pandemic. ☹️

[uniquediamond in reply to Rain72]

You nailed it! Since COVID hit it’s taken a toll on everyone I know and love! People that never experienced depression and or anxiety now battle it everyday! The suicide cases have gone up on the charts where I live. I see so much sadness around me and even hatred! it really breaks my heart watching people struggle so bad in life right now, that feel like there’s no way out.

I see so many tears falling from peoples eyes, and all I want to do is HUG them and say “ it can’t rain all the time” that’s what I try and tell myself also!

I also see so much fear in peoples eyes and that again hurts. I’m really praying for everyone!

I don’t wanna see all this sadness that I’ve seen more over the last year then I have in 10 years.

[Rain72 in reply to uniquediamond]

Yes. 🙏💕 I’ve had the thought that when it’s safe again, I want to wander around with one of those “free hug” signs and hug everyone who will let me. All negative feelings come from fear. If everyone felt heard and cared for, the world would be so different! I just keep telling myself, “Do what you can in your little corner of the world.” It’s really hard right now with the pandemic, but I try. That’s all we can do. I just got back from taking a drive and listening to the “Super Soul Sunday” podcast. Amazing how that always centers me. Semding you a virtual hug, diamond!

[uniquediamond in reply to Rain72]

I’ll be right there with you! Hugs definitely give you a sense of hope! 10 hugs back at you! ❤️

[Gentlespirit]

I'm not sure what to say that can give you comfort because I struggle so much too and its hard because I want to help yet sometimes physically I don't feel well and other times I struggle with recurring depression and emotions. I can absorb others emotions and I have my own too. Hang in there. Sometimes journaling helps or I'm trying to rediscover and redefine myself maybe that will help you. Stay in the moment the present. Bring yourself back by practicing mindfulness. This moment focus on this moment. Breathing. Meditation. Music. Whatever helps you best or start with one and continue until you feel stabilized. I hope that will help you. It just helped me although I realize now that I'm tired hungry and need to take my medicine .

[Rain72 in reply to Gentlespirit]

Thank you, gentle. I was just listening to a podcast about mindfulness and thinking about how helpful that is — to remind myself to be in the moment: listen to the birds, my pup’s soft breathing, watch the snow falling ... Good stuff! ☺️

[Spooky99]

Yes! Sometimes it’s day to day or week to week. I’m either very content or totally cranky. This whole covid thing was great at first, I liked being home. Now I’m miserable. I can relate. Winter is to blame for me. I need to be a snow bird ( sure)

[Rain72 in reply to Spooky99]

Yes! Being an introvert, I was loving it for the first few months, too. But the isolation had really shown me how much I need and value deep connections. Even just being around other people, like in a coffee shop. And like you, I’ve struggled even more with winter added to it. Normally I love the retreat and hibernation, but after a year of retreat and hibernation ... 😣🤪

[san_ray70]

If you are careful you can go out, wear a mask if you think you need it, I have a friend who will not let me visit. I have not seen her in two years, if I ask her when she is going back to church or book club she gets very upset. Myself if I stay in day after day I would end up stir crazy. We go to church, club, bowling, table tennis and we go to restaurants. We make sure wherever we go it is covid safe, but I refuse to be a recluse.