I am very emotionally unstable

[kurosh]

I go through huuuuuuuuge mood swings all the time. I'd compare it to going through the menstrual cycle, but I have no first-hand experience. Some days I will be very aggressive and horny. The next day I will be sad and passive. I can be motivated one hour and not care the next. I can love an ex-girlfriend, not being able to live without her, then the next day not really care too much about what happens with her. I don't understand it. It's as if my entire thought process about everything changes.

[A_C_Slater]

You must be a [censored] sapien. I think that's your problem.

[kurosh]

Everyone is like this? You feel like a different person day to day? Sometimes hour to hour?

[A_C_Slater]

No, not me you freak! Never me! I am more human than human. Maybe you are one of those bi-polar freaks!

[SmileyEH]

Pretty normal stuff man. Not that it doesn't suck, but everyone has crazy moodswings. Being young doesn't help either.

-SmileyEH

[ginko]

Try eating healthier and taking some multivitamins(if you dont already). I read fish oil helps people with mental problems(no you are not insane). I am similar to what you describe, and I think I might be slightly bipolar, nothing serious. Fishoil and weed seems to help me.


If that doesn't work you can try seeing a therapist?

[Heaven]

[ QUOTE ]
I go through huuuuuuuuge mood swings all the time. I'd compare it to going through the menstrual cycle, but I have no first-hand experience. Some days I will be very aggressive and horny. The next day I will be sad and passive. I can be motivated one hour and not care the next. I can love an ex-girlfriend, not being able to live without her, then the next day not really care too much about what happens with her. I don't understand it. It's as if my entire thought process about everything changes.

[/ QUOTE ]

I may aswell have posted that. Some days when I see my Ex I start to think "why did I leave her? I so miss her" and the next day I won't even look at her and not even thinking about it just to start thinking about her the next morning or something... you get the point. Same thing in poker. If I take bad beats one day I may go "Ah well those things happen" and the next day I will break a chair or something (I have done that yes).

I really need to improve this part to become a good player and believe me, I tend to go out of line to when playing live and that is really bad and I feel really bad afterwards too. I'd love to see a post on this subject where someone post useful information about how to get over it or just some background facts to it so I get a point to why it is like this.

[andyahighking]

Sounds like you're on-tilt. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

It's moodiness, and it can be effected by all sorts of factors. It's not uncommon to feel one way and then have a complete turnaround the next (ie. you're not alone).

The trick (I find) is to recognize a time when you are thinking straight (logically) and make your choices then, and when you become emotionally "unstable" recall your choices and stick to them. Make an emotional committment to your logical decisions.

[Atropos]

[ QUOTE ]
Not that it doesn't suck, but everyone has crazy moodswings.
-SmileyEH

[/ QUOTE ]

Not true, I'm sad and passive all the time. At least I dont have these crazy swings ;

[Dan BRIGHT]

have you tried masturbation?

[Mike]

I would look at your diet, keep a list of what you eat each day and how you feel each day. Sooner or later you will see a relationship. Every body has mood shifts, that is normal, bad diet can make it much worse.

If you eat a lot of processed fast/crap food, it can really tear you up. It could be something as simple as too much bread, too little meats, no fruits, etc.

Do you know any diabetics? Ask one to check your sugar level one to two hours after eating. You should be below 125 if I remmber correctly.

[thehotspur]

Yeah eat a banana that will help...Jesus Christ. Ahem, people who get their psychology from the list of ingredients on the back of a box aside, I recommend that someone with your disposition consider not playing too poker until they are in a different place emotionally or psychologically. Not only is such a tendency to swing from one mood to another not conducive to playing the game properly, but the varying fortunes at the poker table induce these emotional swings. If poker make you miserable any sizable % of the time then knock it on the head for the time being, hobbies shouldn't make us feel bad. Good luck to you.

[orange]

[ QUOTE ]
I go through huuuuuuuuge mood swings all the time. I'd compare it to going through the menstrual cycle, but I have no first-hand experience. Some days I will be very aggressive and horny. The next day I will be sad and passive. I can be motivated one hour and not care the next. I can love an ex-girlfriend, not being able to live without her, then the next day not really care too much about what happens with her. I don't understand it. It's as if my entire thought process about everything changes.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bi-polar maybe?

[gergery]

Regular, adequate sleep and consistent moderate aerobic exercise will help.

-g

[KinkyKid]

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah eat a banana that will help...Jesus Christ. Ahem, people who get their psychology from the list of ingredients on the back of a box aside, I recommend that someone with your disposition consider not playing too poker until they are in a different place emotionally or psychologically. Not only is such a tendency to swing from one mood to another not conducive to playing the game properly, but the varying fortunes at the poker table induce these emotional swings. If poker make you miserable any sizable % of the time then knock it on the head for the time being, hobbies shouldn't make us feel bad. Good luck to you.

[/ QUOTE ]

A lot of research has been done linking exercise to alleviating symptoms of depression. The extension of this would be healthy living, which includes what you eat. So to say "eating a banana will help" is an oversimplification of the idea, its on the right track for some people. I think before anyone ever seeks professional help, they should try to exercise some every day, find a physical hobby that gets them outside and tries to eat well.

[thehotspur]

[ QUOTE ]
I think before anyone ever seeks professional help, they should try to exercise some every day, find a physical hobby that gets them outside and tries to eat well.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't mean to sound offensive, and I know you are genuinely giving advice to the best of your ability, and of course healthy living can be beneficial to one's state of mind but as a psychologist I just don't like it when people advise others whom they know nothing about that they diet or excerise is the answer. You don't know this guy, and to say that anyone should delay in seeking professional help ever is not necessarily a good thing to do. I hope that doesn't come across badly, but people who view psychological problems as being due to diet do so because they just aren't familiar with psychological issues.

[DonkBluffer]

All I can say is that if I'm very tired or hungry, I'm a real [censored]. If it gets too bad I just hate everybody and don't care about anything anymore. I have fast metabolism or something, if that helps. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[bkholdem]

Go see a doctor dude. Let a professional evaluate you. I wouldn't trust a psychiatrists evaluation over the internet so I sure as heck wouldn't trust some random poker players evaluation of my mental/emotional condition, let alone specific 'treatments'. Good sleep and good nutrition are good advice for all humans. Seems like you need more than that IMO.

[rory]

i have bipolar disorder and this is what life was like for me before i got help for it. i think people cannot really relate unless they have it. i would feel really aggravated and angry for no reason at all which could last anywhere from a day to a few weeks at a time. other times i would feel completely worthless and depressed and not really wanting to get out of bed or do anything which could also last just a day or for weeks at a time. other times i would feel fine for days or weeks at a time. occasionally my moods would change within hours, for no reason. it is not like how most people live, where an outside stimulus changes the mood, such as seeing a girlfriend and missing them or what not, it is a mood that just comes out of nowhere for no reason with no trigger and the mood is very powerful. mmoods that are actually triggered by something seem completely out of proportion with the trigger. someone turning on the TV would make me feel like i wanted to kill them. a sad song or moment in a movie would wipe me out for a week. people think you are just being moody or dramatic and you feel bad, like it is your fault and you should be able to control how you feel but you can't. actually, you just have a biological problem in your brain which is easily fixed by medication.

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/bipolar.cfm

at any rate going on medication changed my whole life-- i recommend at least going to a psychiatrist and talking about what you are going through. right now the hardest part for me is convincing myself to keep taking the medication because i can convince myself i do not have bipolar disorder when i am on the medication because i feel so much better. maybe you don't have it, but it sounds like might. worst case is you go and at least talk to someone about what you are going through and maybe feel better about what has been happening. you don't have to live your life the way you have been living it.

[donkeyradish]

Have you thought of food allergies?

[Eaglebauer]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I think before anyone ever seeks professional help, they should try to exercise some every day, find a physical hobby that gets them outside and tries to eat well.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't mean to sound offensive, and I know you are genuinely giving advice to the best of your ability, and of course healthy living can be beneficial to one's state of mind but as a psychologist I just don't like it when people advise others whom they know nothing about that they diet or excerise is the answer. You don't know this guy, and to say that anyone should delay in seeking professional help ever is not necessarily a good thing to do. I hope that doesn't come across badly, but people who view psychological problems as being due to diet do so because they just aren't familiar with psychological issues.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well actually, my experience corroborates the diet/exercise advice.

I saw a few therapists for my 'personal problems', and some of them helped and some of the didn't. But the best thing I ever did for myself was begin a program of rigorous exercise and daily yoga. These things have helped me become a very happy, and successful, person.

The OP should certainly seek professional help. But these other things are things he can also at the same time do for himself, and in my opinion they are at least as beneficial.

[kurosh]

[ QUOTE ]
i have bipolar disorder and this is what life was like for me before i got help for it. i think people cannot really relate unless they have it. i would feel really aggravated and angry for no reason at all which could last anywhere from a day to a few weeks at a time. other times i would feel completely worthless and depressed and not really wanting to get out of bed or do anything which could also last just a day or for weeks at a time. other times i would feel fine for days or weeks at a time. occasionally my moods would change within hours, for no reason. it is not like how most people live, where an outside stimulus changes the mood, such as seeing a girlfriend and missing them or what not, it is a mood that just comes out of nowhere for no reason with no trigger and the mood is very powerful. mmoods that are actually triggered by something seem completely out of proportion with the trigger. someone turning on the TV would make me feel like i wanted to kill them. a sad song or moment in a movie would wipe me out for a week. people think you are just being moody or dramatic and you feel bad, like it is your fault and you should be able to control how you feel but you can't. actually, you just have a biological problem in your brain which is easily fixed by medication.

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/bipolar.cfm

at any rate going on medication changed my whole life-- i recommend at least going to a psychiatrist and talking about what you are going through. right now the hardest part for me is convincing myself to keep taking the medication because i can convince myself i do not have bipolar disorder when i am on the medication because i feel so much better. maybe you don't have it, but it sounds like might. worst case is you go and at least talk to someone about what you are going through and maybe feel better about what has been happening. you don't have to live your life the way you have been living it.

[/ QUOTE ]I can relate a lot to what you are describing. Maybe I am bipolar /images/graemlins/frown.gif. Thanks.

I have seen psychologists before and they haven't mentioned anything about it.

[KinkyKid]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I think before anyone ever seeks professional help, they should try to exercise some every day, find a physical hobby that gets them outside and tries to eat well.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't mean to sound offensive, and I know you are genuinely giving advice to the best of your ability, and of course healthy living can be beneficial to one's state of mind but as a psychologist I just don't like it when people advise others whom they know nothing about that they diet or excerise is the answer. You don't know this guy, and to say that anyone should delay in seeking professional help ever is not necessarily a good thing to do. I hope that doesn't come across badly, but people who view psychological problems as being due to diet do so because they just aren't familiar with psychological issues.

[/ QUOTE ]

If I were a psychologist, I would definitely take issue with my advice, after all, you could be charging him per hour to tell him this, if it is the root. If its not, then it still got him outside and a little healthier. I might be slightly biased, I am close to graduating with a double major in psych and kinesiology which I am planning to take to grad school. Maybe afterwards I'll rethink my statement. In the meantime, I stand by it. And clarification, I did not say "diet or excerise is the answer", I said that it might be.

[Bill C]

[ QUOTE ]
You must be a [censored] sapien. I think that's your problem.

[/ QUOTE ]

Isn't that odd, the word that is censored?
Lets do be so completely PC.
The "H" word for "man"; the "G" word for happy.
Where's George Orwell when we need him?

bill

[PGarlic]

[ QUOTE ]
Some days I will be very aggressive and horny.

[/ QUOTE ]

oh jeez.. When you always raised my blind I just thought you wanted my money! /images/graemlins/blush.gif

[bootswild]

LOL

[bootswild]

I think poker makes us all a little bi-polar.

[winky51]

Havent read the other posts but I am sure they are full of sacastic and humorous remarks. I am a very emotional person myself and what I suggest is this.

Keep track of what you eat/drink and your moods. Many times food can really affect your state of mind. Stay away from processed crap and fast food. Try organic foods... no chemicals to screw with your brain. I have eaten good food now for a long time and when my body craves even McD's french fries I feel like crap after eating them. Your body knows best. You might not even realize how it affects you. When I finally got my father to quit smoking within 6 months he noticed an amazing difference. He couldnt believe how much smoking affected his energy. Same thing for foods.

If you find there is no pattern or no improvement in diet change see a doctor for some meds.

Also how old are you? Young guys can have swings, all those hormones.

If its for poker DEFINITELY keep track of foods you eat. I avoid certain foods before a tournament, I drink certain drinks to keep my mind focused.

Every bit helps.

[Rooster71]

I think I may have Bipolar Disorder also. I was diagnosed with depression many years ago and recently with anxiety. Can you please let us know what medications you take? I take Lexapro 20mg and Clonazepam 0.5mg daily.

BTW, please don't go off your meds without a plan and a serious consultation with your doctor.

[HappyHotdog]

[ QUOTE ]
I go through huuuuuuuuge mood swings all the time. I'd compare it to going through the menstrual cycle, but I have no first-hand experience. Some days I will be very aggressive and horny. The next day I will be sad and passive. I can be motivated one hour and not care the next. I can love an ex-girlfriend, not being able to live without her, then the next day not really care too much about what happens with her. I don't understand it. It's as if my entire thought process about everything changes.

[/ QUOTE ]

drugs man. start takin the drugs

[TStoneMBD]

you might be bipolar as rory mentions. there is bipolar in my family so ive already been warned of the effects and have seen it with my own eyes.

my mood is very stable and doesnt change much at all. my state of mind rarely changes. because bipolar is hereditary i fear that i may one day encounter it myself. ive been told that the signs of bipolar are often that you feel emotionally out of control, like sometimes things just get too emotional to handle and you get all stressed out potentially beyond control. thats when you need to seek help to see if you are suffering from bipolar but most importantly you must make sure that even when you are the worst emotional state that you learn to let the emotions go. you have to say to yourself that better days are ahead and learn to chill out for the meantime. once you let your emotions build up out of control is when your mind starts to break. dont let that happen.

[boogiemang]

i know im like that also.

maybe a lot of people are.

im pretty extreme like you, i dont really know if i care enough to want to fix it, i used to be worse, anger, depression, boredom, interested. maybe in another mood ill try to fix it with u. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[tripdad]

if you are young and smoke weed, this type of thing is pretty standard.

don't smoke weed.

tripdad