13 Mood Changes That Could Indicate a More Serious Condition

9. Extreme happiness or sadness: Bipolar disorder

Feeling extremely happy and then extremely sad without a good reason might be a symptom of bipolar disorder. Bipolarity is known for causing extreme mood changes in patients.

According to Emin Gharibian, PsyD, founder and director of Verdugo Psychological Associates, bipolar patients suffer from inequality in certain neurotransmitters responsible for those extreme mood swings.

 

10. Short temper: Hypothyroidism

Short temper can be a good indicator of hypothyroidism or an underactive thyroid gland. Unexpected irritability and bad temper are often caused by sudden changes in thyroid hormone, according to the British Thyroid Foundation.

But short temper in hypothyroidism patients is not always caused by hormone changes. According to Stephen B. Hill, DC, who works with patients who suffer from thyroid disorders at Hill Functional Medicine in Arizona, hypothyroidism often shows symptoms like weight gain, insomnia, hair loss, and excessive sweating.

“All of these symptoms are likely to make even the happiest of people moody, anxious, or even depressed,” he explains. “Nobody feels good on the outside if they are in pain and don’t feel well on the inside.”

 

11. Nervousness: Hyperthyroidism

According to Baltimore-based endocrinologist Marie Bellantoni, MD, thyroid hormones such as triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) stimulate the nervous system. Therefore, hyperthyroidism patients often feel overwhelmed.

Hyperthyroidism patients feel nervous, anxious, jittery, and often have problems focusing, she adds. Even though there can be many causes for feeling anxious and stressed, Bellantoni suggests always paying close attention to these kinds of symptoms, as they shouldn’t be overlooked.

 

12. Euphoria: Multiple sclerosis

Besides stress, sadness, anxiety, and fear, euphoria can also be one of the multiple sclerosis symptoms, according to The National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

This unexpected symptom is a result of the cognitive impairment that multiple sclerosis patients experience.

 

13. Mood changes: Digestive issues

Unexpected mood changes can be a good indicator of digestive issues. Digestive disorders influence your body’s ability to assimilate necessary nutrients, and according to Heather Hagen, LMFT, clinical director at Newport Academy, digestive conditions like celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease can cause depression and mood swings in patients.

And the explanation for this is that the gut and the brain interact very closely, Johns Hopkins Medicine explains.