> > > Adolescence or senility, mood swings can be fun.
> > > Howard
> >
> >
> > Yeah, well they apparently cause people to think you're emotionally unstable.
>
> Not to be rude, but isn't that the *definition* of emotional instability? I.e. if your emotions are prone to sudden shifts, then they are, by definition, not stable.
>
> Constant mood swings can be a good sign that you are suffering from some kind of mental illness. There is a strange stigma attached to the term "mentally ill," and many people think it's the same as being crazy. Actually, though, it's the best term we have to refer to any of a number of conditions that have real physical causes. What's sad is that so many people believe that mental illnesses are somehow the fault of the people suffering from them, which is absurd. Nobody would blame somebody who has a cold or another physical illness, but there is still a stigma with mental illnesses.
>
> That aside, constant mood swings that have no apparent cause really are a bad thing that nobody should have to suffer through. Some of it is a normal part of adolescence -- these have clear physical causes, considering the hormones the body is producing at the time -- but if they are extreme or continue past that point, they should be treated.
>
> I'm no expert, but I wrote this because Gahalia's posts slightly worry me. It is notoriously hard to judge somebody's emotional state over the 'Net, but those posts don't seem very happy. Honestly, Gahalia, if people in your life are saying that you're emotionally unstable, perhaps you should heed what they're saying and see a doctor. A psychologist or a psychiatrist is probably your best bet, but even a medical doctor can be a good starting point.
>
> I recently read an interesting series of articles (link below) about someone who suffers from schizoaffective disorder -- a fairly uncommon illness that is roughly a combination of schizophrenia and manic depression -- and in it he stressed the point that it is often difficult for people who are suffering from mental illness to adequately judge their own mental condition. He wrote that had he sought treatment earlier, he may have been able to avoid some really bad experiences (including a few protracted stays in mental hospitals).
>
> Stephen

Maybe I'm not taking this seriously enough, but I think everybody has mood swings. Drastic mood swings probably do indicate serious mental illness, but I guess I'm thinking about those little highs and lows that are pretty normal.

Recently, I was thinking about my high school days and it occurred to me that several of my close friends are now dead. I spent a few minutes in the pits, until I realized that if they were still living they would be in their late sixties now, and that's a pretty good life span.

Maybe, as the neighborhood excentric, I'm not the one to discuss mental illness. My moods tend to swing upward most of the time anyway. But during my teaching days, I saw a lot of people with mental problems, some were students, or parents, and sometimes even teachers who cracked under the strain. I make no secret of the fact that I suffered from burnout the last few years I taught, and it contributed to my early retirement. Teacher burnout has pretty much the same symptoms as the battle fatigue that affects soldiers. My flashbacks come only in the form of an occasional nightmare, and the headaches have gone away completely. I've never had to visit a shrink and have never been on that kind of medication. I was fortunate to be able to retire before I went completely nutz.

The good news is that people with mental problems can get help now. Such conditions are more likely to be identified and treatments have become much safer and more effective. My advice to people with mental or physical problems is, get help. You don't have to live with it anymore.
Howard