Recognize Your Mood Swings to Succeed
ADHD mood swings are common in adults. While bipolar disorder is characterized by episodic instances of mood swings lasting a couple weeks or longer in duration, ADHD mood swings are much more consistent and rapid, presenting themselves up to several times per day.
It can be an exhausting process, especially in those diagnosed with both bipolar disorder and ADHD.
I can tell you from my personal experience that the first step in learning to thrive amidst mood swings is to recognize them. As with other ADHD symptoms, you can’t fight what you can’t see, so self-honesty and self-acceptance are two crucial ingredients in learning to cope with potentially debilitating mood swings – ones that often result in bad decision-making.
Here are a few key tips for learning about and working through mood swings with Adult ADHD:
Be Gentle with Yourself
Take a deep breath and remind yourself that the world isn’t falling apart – even though it might feel like it at the time! You’ve made it this far, and as I’ve learned, we can literally make it through the worst disaster that can come our way as long as we’re able to breathe and think.
Take a moment and read that back to yourself. After nearly 40 years on this planet, that’s one thing I know to be completely true.
Make a List of Your Emotional Patterns
Get crystal-clear about yourself, even if you feel ashamed or embarrassed. That is the key here! People who don’t face their patterns, their “dark sides.” don’t usually live very happy, fulfilled lives.
Decide that you’re worth the investment and the work you’re going to need to put in to truly live a better, more successful life.
Can Medication Help?
This one can be tough for people, especially if you aren’t fortunate enough to find a medication that helps to level out your moods on the first few tries. I’ve been on 5 or 6 different medications, and only recently found one that helps my mood swings better than anything else I’ve tried.
As the old saying goes: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” It can be a roller-coaster of a ride (as it was for me), one that can make you wonder if you’ll ever find “yourself” again. That’s the warning, but if you don’t try, you’ll never know.
