How Do I Handle Bad Moods?

Anger hurts YOU!

Everything seemed to be getting on Minh's nerves this morning.

At breakfast, her mother told her she looked nice. Minh didn't

respond because she didn't think she looked nice. Then her father

came into the kitchen and asked how his little girl was and gave

Minh a wink. Suddenly Minh lashed out at her father, saying she

wasn't a baby anymore and to stop treating her like one.

Rushing out of the kitchen, Minh grabbed her backpack and left,

slamming the front door behind her. Outside, she started crying.

She didn't know why she was so angry or why she was crying.

She felt this way often lately and wondered if something was

wrong with her.

In fact, Minh's feelings are common and normal for teens.

The Emotional Roller Coaster

Going from sadness to rage to joy in a matter of seconds can make

you feel as though you're losing your grip. Because of enormous

changes taking place in your life, you may feel like you're on an

emotional roller coaster.

Constant change can make you feel this way. You may have started

a new school and you don't get to see your old friends as much.

Maybe your circle of friends is changing and you don't want to hang

out with your old friends anymore. You may be anxious about whether

you'll be popular. Getting good grades is a concern, and maybe you're

worried you won't have enough time to do everything. You have a

lot on your mind.

What Causes These Moody Blues?

As teens near adulthood, they struggle with their sense of identity

and self-image. You identify more readily with your friends than your

parents, so being accepted by friends becomes extremely important.

You might realize that you're no longer a child and feel a sense of

freedom, but at the same time, you might be sad that your childhood

is over.

You may feel confused like Minh. Feeling confused is normal and one

of the most common feelings a teen can have. You feel confused for

a good reason: growing up is full of conflict - it's fun and exciting, but

scary, too. You want to be on your own and make your own decisions,

but it can be overwhelming at times. Part of the reason you're moody,

especially at home, is because you're caught between being a child

and being an adult. It takes a while to feel comfortable with that

transition.

Another cause for your mood swings is biology. When you begin to

sexually mature

- usually between ages 8 and 13 for girls and between

ages 10 and 15 for boys

- your body starts producing sex hormones. You probably know

that these hormones

- estrogen and progesterone in girls and testosterone in guys

cause physical changes in your body. But they also cause emotional

changes - the ups and downs you sometimes feel you can't control.

If you understand that everyone is going through the kinds of mood

swings you're going through, they might be easier to handle.

Beating the Blues

Talking to people you can trust is important for you right now. Friends

can help each other by realizing that they're not alone in their feelings.

Talking to your parents is helpful, too. You might be fighting with them

more now, but remember, they went through exactly what you are

going through and can understand.

Your mother or father will appreciate it if you try to explain how you feel

instead of just slamming a door. A trusted teacher or counselor would

be a good person to confide in, too, and your doctor can help you sort

through questions about your development. Keeping your feelings inside

makes them seem much worse.

Here are some more suggestions on what you can do to feel better:

Create: start a journal or diary or start an art or music piece.
Writing helps you organize and express your thoughts and

feelings, and will make things more manageable. Don't worry

about grammar, spelling, or punctuation; the important thing

is just to get your thoughts on paper. Do the same thing with

paint, sculpture, music, or other art forms - don't censor

yourself; just put your feelings into your artwork.

Exercise: regular exercise produces more beta-endorphin, a

hormone that controls stress and improves mood. Go for a run,

play some tennis, ride your bike, or punch a punching bag.

Get enough sleep: although it's hard to find enough time, proper

rest is really important. When you're tired, everything seems

worse and it's much easier to feel bad and irritable.

Cry: there's nothing wrong with crying; in fact, it will probably
make you feel better. However, if you find that you are sad most

of the time, or if you just can't seem to shake a bout of the blues,

you might be depressed and need help from a doctor.Stress can

also be overwhelming. If you can't cope with your daily routine,

tell an adult. But remember that some pain, confusion, and sadness

are all part of life, especially when you're a teen.

Source:

KidsHealth www.KidsHealth.com is a project of The Nemours Foundation which is

dedicated to improving the health and spirit of children. Today, as part of its

continuing mission, the Foundation supports the operation of a number of renowned

children's health facilities throughout the nation, including the Alfred I. duPont

Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware, and the Nemours Children's Clinics

throughout Florida. Visit The Nemours Foundation to find out more about them and

its health facilities for children http://www.nemours.org/no/