I have very rapid mood swings, what's the best way to manage them so no one gets hurt?

I find that the best way to deal with mood swings is to first be honest. By telling whoever you're talking to that you feel a certain way, let's say angry, you can explain to them that your emotions are not targeted at them.

I have a lot of experience with this issue. I've found that identifying any triggers you may have, and avoiding them as much as possible, helps to keep from snapping at people who may unwittingly trigger a mood swing. And if you are triggered, to breathe deeply and slowly, and excuse yourself, keeping to yourself until you feel like you are under control enough to rejoin others, if possible. I hope this helps!

I would suggest you try to work out what it is that triggers your mood swings so you can understand them better and that way you can help others to understand them as well and it may help stopping no one getting hurt as you will know how to avoid triggering them.

One thing that I do, specifically for anger, which I think has the most potential to hurt someone, is when I feel myself get upset, I ask myself 'Am I upset at a person or am I upset at a situation?' Once I can identify what I'm upset at, I can act accordingly. So for example, if my boyfriend has been going out of town a lot for work, I'm not mad at him because he's just doing what he needs for work, I'm mad at the absence of him which is a situation. Once you identify that it's a situation, you can express your anger to him about the situation which will stop him from becoming defensive.

When you feel negative emotions coming on, find an isolated spot to take a deep breath and gather yourself. Don't interact with anyone until youre aware of what you're feeling and you've sorted out your thoughts.

When you have rapid mood swings, the best thing to do when it strikes is to not do anything. Just don't do anything. Let the mood pass by so others will not be hurt.

It is best to monitor your emotions in a very attentive manner, and find out the negative factors that swings your mood to negative. Then look for the emotional "debris" around these factors and try and make peace with all the bad memories and lack of hope about them. It will definitely help if you focus on one single factor at a time, and do not give up until all negative factors are addressed. :)

You feel you are hurting people with unmanagable mood swings. When you have a mood swing, what do you feel before, during, and after the mood swing? What do you think causes you to have those feelings at each stage? It's healthy to express ourselves and you should not be discouraged from expressing yourself. There are many things you can try in the moment of a mood swing, but only you know for sure which one will work for you and that's okay. There are counting measures like counting backward from 100 or counting to 10 very slowly. Think of your diaphram and try a few very, very slow deep, deep breaths. Politely excuse yourself from present company and write your thoughts down in the form of a letter instead of an outburst. Imagine that you are giving yourself a hug during trying times. Think of the sound of the rain or the ocean. If you can steal a moment for yourself, your in-the-moment moodiness may relax enough for you to continue the conversation/event. With enough practice, your brain can create new emotional patterns to go by, but it's okay if you need professoinal guidance with that too. Read more about different methods to manage your emotions here: https://www.7cups.com/help-managing-emotions/lesson1.html

Identifying the mood swings in the moment can be helpful. Once you recognize them, you can make rational decisions on how to react given that you know you are feeling a certain way.

Use breathing techniques (like breathe in for 6 seconds, and out.) To calm down and try to recognize your emotions. Also ask a professional about it if it gets to be too dangerous/harmful.