Why Do Women Have Mood Swings?

The generic term "mood swing" has been used to refer to a wide variety of symptoms that affect both men and women and that can also affect children and adolescents. A person's mood can be affected by a great many factors, including internal and external conditions and environments. While changes in mood can be seen as expected due to the lack of control over many aspects of a person's life, chronic or drastic mood swings may be a sign of potential problems that may need to be addressed by a medical professional.

What are Moods Caused By?

• Mood can be defined as a person's psychological status at any particular time. This status is affected by a process of neurological activities involving the brain and the central nervous system. Responses in the brain and the nervous system are generated by what are known as neurotransmitters, which activate certain chemical reactions that affect the physiology as well as the biology within the human body. Some of these neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine, can affect changes that are described as happiness or sadness.

Mood Swings and Women

• The most commonly understood causes of mood swings in women are based on hormones. According to the Mayo Clinic, hormone levels constantly fluctuate throughout a female's life, beginning with the onset of puberty, through childbirth and continuing through the stages of menopause. The fluctuating levels of hormones, especially estrogen and progesterone, are thought to greatly affect the physiological status of most women.

Serious Mood Disorders in Women

• Although most general mood swings in women are not necessarily considered to be detrimental to their health, the occurrence of negative mood swings seems to be more likely in women than in men. For this reason, there is more concern for women developing more serious mood disorders. According to the Mayo Clinic, while premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is more commonly recognized, premenstrual dysphoric disorder is another condition involved with ovulation cycles that can seriously affect a woman's mental state.

Depression and Women

• Depression, in the clinical sense, is thought to define any period lasting two weeks or more where the psychological status of any person stays in a down cycle. This is considered abnormal and is therefore a cause of concern. Women may be more prone to conditions that lead to depression due to constant hormone level imbalances. PMS, postpartum disorders and emotional changes along with physical changes that take place during the menopausal process often lead to states of anxiety, anger and mental disorientation in women.

Treatment for Mood Swings in Women

• There are many therapies for mood swings in women, depending on the cause behind the mood swings. Some theories for treatment are based on hormone therapy, while others address the various environmental conditions that can affect a woman's mood, such as stress and dietary intake. However, the implementation of any therapeutic response to mood swings should generally involve the advice of a qualified medical professional to provide an overall assessment of a woman's mental and physical health.