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

Hey :) I can totally relate on that. First off, are you getting counselling? Rapid moodswings may indicate a deeper underlying problem. Secondly, breathe, find your center, Let it pass. Do NOT, I repeat DO NOT make any decisions unless you feel you are completely calm an rational. What I do is I postpone all major decisions/actions to the next day. That gives me time to separate heightened emotions from actions. There is no need to take out your anger at the spot, wait 24 hours, if you're still angry then see why it makes you angry, do something about it but rationally. During phases when emotions are really intense (anxiety, fear, anger) find a calming repititive activity. Take a walk, write it down, buy a stress ball if you must, channel your emotion and learn to ride the storm, don't let it drown you. Hope that helps, PM me if you have any further questions

I believe just being aware of our moods at that moment in time helps, and personally I have the same struggle. Knowing and being aware in my opinion, is half the battle, perhaps even more! In addition, from my personal experience taking my medication has been helpful in really keeping my intense moods manageable. Also, having coping methods helps SIGNIFICANTLY. For me, It's jiu-jitsu, boxing, and exercising. I also love playing adventure games. Stay positive, you can do it! :)

First see a doctor if your mood swings are caused by medical conditions, which then can be treated or manged. Be aware of your emotions.

I used to be a very easy person to anger. I learned with time how to control my mood swings in order not to hurt people around me. I usually leave the area I am in when I feel my mood change. I go take a walk around the block, go to the gym and take off some steam, or just a secluded area and scream it out or whatever. It worked for me. And whenever I hurt someone emotionally, I always push myself to apologise after.

Try to be as conscious of your mood swings as possible. Try to increase your awareness about how and when the mood swings occur, notice any pattern that might be present. Create a buffer between your mood and your actions...try to look at your mood from a third person's perspective. That should enable you to think before you act on your mood swings and hence reduce the chance of you doing something that you'd regret. Mindfulness is a very helpful exercise regarding this. It increases your awareness enabling you to be completely present in the moment.

Think of ways which make you calm and collected. Find your 'happy place'. I also recommend getting help with a professional, they have the best expertise when it comes to this.

If you're concerned about the safety of yourself or others, I would strongly recommend seeking out additional help. Keep in mind that the listeners here on 7cups are here to support, empathize, and listen but we are not professionals. We can only do so much.... That said, if you are looking for tools to track your mood swings there are many free apps for iPhone and Android which can allow you to 'mood map' your swings. My mother once said "Knowing is half the battle", so by mapping your moods, you may be able to self-identify what initiates some of your swings. There are also several apps that allow you to do mindfulness exercises at pre-determined parts of your day (eg. at 3:30 you may get a reminder from the app to practice mindfulness). These may help provide a 'clear head space' in the middle of your day to help prevent emotional boil-over.

Having rapid mood swings can be hard to deal with. One good way to manage them so no one gets hurt is by evaluating your feelings and trying to understand why you feel that way. When you evaluate your feeling you become more calm.

I think the first thing you should do is find out what the cause of your mood swings are. Maybe even visit a doctor to get some answers. Solving the initial issue could lead to improvement of your relationships. When you're having a mood swing, you know you're having one so maybe try to make a conscious effort to adjust your attitude when talking to people you care about. You may want to just lash out but if that's the case, avoiding people you value may be for the best until you calm down. You could also open up to someone you trust about your mood swings and let them know that if you snap at them, you don't mean it and you don't want them to take it seriously or to heart. They may be able to support you as well.

Go see a prefessional regarding your mood swings. It could be anything from stress to bipolar disorder. Good luck!