Emotional lability: may be the source of extreme mood swings

Emotional lability involves a lack of control in the recognition and regulation of emotions characterized by extreme mood swings.

• What is emotional lability?
• What is not emotional lability
• Why emotional lability occurs
• Emotional dance: how to work in therapy

We all have emotional ups and downs or moments in which we live emotions very intensely. However, when these changes are very extreme or you react too exaggeratedly, we talk about emotional lability.

WHAT IS EMOTIONAL LABILITY?

The term “emotional lability” refers to abrupt, disproportionate and uncontrolled mood swings, which occur even if there is no specific reason. It can also manifest itself when a person reacts in a very exaggerated way to a more or less neutral situation, or showing temporary states of euphoria or sadness.

In general, the person who suffers episodes of emotional lability has difficulty properly managing their emotions and is overwhelmed by them without being able to control them. For example, you may suffer fits of laughter in a situation that is not so funny or episodes of intense crying for a small setback. In more severe cases, these reactions can be contradictory, for example, laughing about something sad or crying intensely in the face of a funny situation.

Emotional lability implies a poor ability to recognize and manage one’s emotions.

WHAT IS NOT EMOTIONAL LABILITY

Emotional lability is not a psychological disorder in itself, but is the manifestation or symptom of other more global problems. It is important to differentiate emotional lability from other more serious psychological or psychiatric states such as bipolarity or depression.

In these disorders, emotional changes are deeper and more prolonged. In addition, they usually last several weeks or months, while alterations in emotional lability last only a few hours.

On the other hand, there are certain moments in our life when we have special hormonal conditions that can cause emotional lability. For example, in adolescence, during pregnancy or menopause, there are strong hormonal changes that can cause episodes of very intense emotional reactions. This type of emotional lability can be understood as part of the process of change and adaptation, and should never be considered a problem.

WHY EMOTIONAL LABILITY OCCURS

There is still controversy about the cause of emotional lability. Some currents point to neurological problems in the limbic system (center of regulation and control of emotions). Data that support this idea is that emotional lability is detected in people suffering from sclerosis, cardiovascular accidents, Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s.

On the other hand, emotional lability can also be understood from a more psychological point of view, in the sense of poor learning of emotional management. People who have not had a healthy family model or who have suffered mistreatment or abuse in their childhoods, have not learned to manage their emotions in a balanced way and can reach the extreme of lack of control that emotional lability supposes.

Much more research is still needed to understand and treat emotional lability.

EMOTIONAL DANCE: HOW TO WORK IN THERAPY

In therapy, you can work very effectively to learn to recognize and manage emotions. Keep in mind that brain plasticity allows us to reinforce certain areas of our brain that have not had the right stimulus in the past. In this way, we can strengthen healthy learning that could not be done during childhood.

Steps we follow in my practice:

1. RECOGNIZE EMOTIONS

A first step is to be able to listen and name what we are feeling at each moment. Many people tell me, in consultation, that they feel things, but that they cannot define them. In the case of emotional lability, we place great emphasis on connecting and listening to one’s emotions.

2. IDENTIFY THE INTENSITY AND IMPORTANCE OF EMOTIONS

Once the emotions are recognized and named, we must place them on a scale of intensity. In every situation, we can ask: How important is what is happening? Is my emotional reaction proportional to the situation itself?

3. APPLY RELAXATION TECHNIQUES

Through simple breathing and visualization exercises, the person learns to observe their mental/emotional state and manage their stress and anxiety levels. If incorporated as part of a daily routine, it is a great tool in emotional regulation.