When Your Mood Suddenly drops, there is hope

A sudden drop in mood

women looking sad/anxiety

Mood drops feel horrible. I wrote this several years ago and am re-posting it as it continues the discussion about anxiety.

I had a really bad few days a few weeks ago. So bad I was really afraid the depression was returning. This was a real shock to my system. I have been depression-free for over fifteen years. By that, I mean a clinical diagnosis that requires treatment.

Nothing horrible had happened. No major illness. No major catastrophe.

Just the “ordinariness” of life.

I mean, my mood plummeted practically overnight. A few days do not qualify for a diagnosis of depression, but let me tell you, I really felt awful. Scary awful. My doctor has been messing with my thyroid dosage, which probably didn’t help either. Low thyroid levels can cause depression. My primary care and I have been working to get it to the level it should be. But that wasn’t all of it.

Were there mood triggers?

To answer that question, yes, I had ignored several triggers.”

I won’t share all of them, but I can share a few.

Illness

Anytime we are ill, our mood can drop precipitously. Or sometimes, it’s after you get better. Viruses are known to cause a mood drop. Any chronic condition can cause a mood drop as well. So, pay attention to your mood when you come down with even a cold. The mind-body connection can’t be ignored.

Physical pain

First, I had been dealing with a reoccurring foot problem again, this time with a different foot. I couldn’t get an appointment to see my foot doctor for a month, which upset me because I had been his patient for over ten years. Of course, it wasn’t his fault. He’s entitled to vacations, etc. But still…

I tend to forget how physical pain can impact one’s life, and continuous pain can certainly plummet one’s mood. So, physical pain was trigger number one.

Poor sleep

Another trigger was I had not been sleeping well. This is a big one for me. If I don’t sleep well for a few days, it really impacts my mood. It does with most people. Don’t take poor sleep too lightly.

Rumination

Another trigger was rumination. Rumination is the process of gnawing on something repeatedly with no resolution in sight. It’s never helpful unless it leads to a solution. However, many people who experience anxiety and/or depression engage in this harmful behavior.

Worrying

man in pink shirt wearing black leather wrist band and looking anxious/mood

I was borrowing a lot of trouble. Scripture is so clear about not worrying about the future. At the same time, we are told to plan for the future. It is very difficult to distinguish between planning and worrying sometimes, however. Where does the one end and the other begin?

I think I can tell you. When the planning for the future brings on anxiety or depression, then you’ve crossed over from “planning” to “worrying”. That’s what I had done.

Spiritual depression

Spiritual depression is a real condition. It’s much too complex for a short blog post, but it is a very real condition. Spiritual depression can be a result of clinical depression. There’s nothing wrong with your spiritual life, but you feel distant from God.

Conversely, spiritual depression can be exactly that, a spiritual depression. And it can cause a clinical depression.

There is always a reason for a mood drop.

Let me repeat something I’ve often written. There is always a reason your mood sinks. Always. But what often happens is our mood ends up in the tank. It’s then hard to look back and see the progression.

So what do you do when you’ve already landed in that pit?

Scripture is the first step.

For me, going to my Bible is my first step. The Bible addresses our moods throughout scripture, and many of the heroes in the Bible struggled with mood disorders. When you read their stories carefully, their emotional frailties are obvious. They were people just like us. That’s why there are so many scriptures addressing these issues.

Examine the areas I’ve mentioned. They are the obvious ones, but often, they are the cause. I suggest you read my book, “Depression Has a Big Voice.” It’s written as a 60-day devotional, and the second part is full of helpful yet simple tips. If you follow this blog, the book is free to download. I recently updated it, and the softcover will be available for free to my followers, hopefully by this Friday.

If you struggle with depression or anxiety, as is usually the case, a combination of both, my heart goes out to you. But know that depression is usually self-limiting. But, of course, no one wants it to run its full course! If nothing helps, be sure to see your doctor. You don’t have to suffer needlessly.

Remember, God provides healing in all kinds of ways.

Have a blessed day.