Mood is one of the most common and important psychological phenomena and affects your life, behavior, thinking, and health. This is not just a state of mind, it is a complex process, influenced by many indicators, biological, social, cultural, personal, and situational. Moods can change from moment to moment or persist for a long time. It can be positive or negative, stable or unstable, bright or pale, expressed or hidden.
But what are the different types of moods from the point of view of human psychology? How does it arise and how to measure it? We will try to discover these and other questions in this article.
What Is the Mood?
Mood is a person’s general emotional state, which is characterized by a certain tone (positive or negative), intensity (strong or weak), and duration (short-term or long-term). It differs from emotions and feelings in that it is less specific, less associated with specific objects or events, and less subject to volitional control.
Mood can be defined as a “subcutaneous” state that permeates all aspects of an individual’s psyche: his thoughts, perceptions, memory, motivation, will, behavior, and self-awareness. It can be either a background for other emotional reactions or an independent phenomenon. It can be the result of the influence of various factors (external or internal) or the cause of their change. There are various
Different types of moods can be measured using a variety of methods: self-observation, self-report, observation of behavior and facial expressions, psychophysiological measurements (e.g. heart rate, blood pressure, hormone levels), psychometric tests (the best known are the Bradburn Mood Scale, Havens Differential Scale, Dung’s anxiety). However, none of these methods is completely accurate and objective, since mood is a subjective and complex psychological phenomenon that depends on many variables.
What Is the Mood Like?
Mood can be classified according to different criteria. One of the most frequently used criteria is the tone of the mood, that is, its positivity or negativity. Based on this criterion, two main types of affect and mood can be distinguished: positive and negative.
- A positive mood is a state of joy, pleasure, optimism, enthusiasm, satisfaction, and gratitude.
- Negative is a state of sadness, anxiety, irritation, guilt, fear, anger.
However, the tone of a person’s mood is not the only parameter by which it can be described.
Different Types of Moods Based On Intensity
Another important parameter is intensity, that is, strength or depth. Based on this parameter, four levels of mood can be distinguished: weak, medium, strong, and extreme.
- Low mood is a condition in which a person experiences almost no emotional experiences or they are very superficial and not noticeable.
- Average is a state in which a person experiences moderate emotions and feelings or they are quite bright and noticeable.
- When strong, a person experiences intense emotions and feelings.
- Finally, extreme mood is a state in which a person experiences excessive emotional experiences that are unbearable and uncontrollable.
Kinds of Moods Based on Duration And Stability
Another parameter by which kinds of moods can be characterized is their duration and stability. Based on this parameter, three mood types can be distinguished: short-term, medium-term, and long-term.
- A short-term mood is a state that lasts a few minutes or hours and changes quickly under the influence of various reasons.
- Medium-term – a condition that can last several days or weeks and is less susceptible to change.
- Long-term mood is a condition that lasts for months or years and is very resistant to impact.
What Does Your All Types of Moods Depend On?
Mood depends on many circumstances that influence the emotional background. They are divided into three general groups associated with the material, mental, and spiritual spheres.
The physiological nature is closely related to the production of hormones that increase or decrease mood. The most important substances that directly affect emotions:
- Adrenaline is a dangerous hormone that forces the body to work for wear and tear;
- Dopamine is a substance that induces self-confidence;
- Cortisol is a hormone of stress, emotional and physical exhaustion;
- Norepinephrine is a shock hormone associated with physical injury or nervous strain;
- Oxytocin is a hormone of trust, pleasant sensations, and relaxation;
- Serotonin is the hormone of pleasure and good mood;
- Endorphins are a group of neuropeptides that give optimism and energy.
The production of these substances can be influenced purposefully, suppressing negative factors and stimulating the production of positive ones. Regular sex, proper nutrition, and adequate sleep are considered effective techniques.
Since a person is a biosocial being, his vital energy is significantly influenced, in addition to physical health, by the communication component. To highlight the main causes of emotional changes, it would be appropriate to recall the Wheel of Life Balance, which has eight segments:
- Household sphere – helps maintain comfort in the home;
- Spiritual development – fills our lives with deep meaning;
- Health – determines vital energy, general tone;
- Career – helps you find your place in life;
- Rest – renews strength, distracts from worries;
- Relationships – give the joy of communicating with pleasant people;
- Family – determines the basic personal attitudes;
- Finance – gives financial independence.
What Are Different Types of Moods
A person’s mood can also be classified according to another criterion – according to its content or quality. Based on this criterion, many types of mood can be distinguished, which reflect different aspects of a person’s experience:
- Joyful: happiness, delight, tenderness, love;
- Sad: sadness, melancholy, nostalgia, loneliness;
- Anxious: anxiety, fear, apprehension, uncertainty;
- Irritable: anger, aggression, intolerance, disappointment;
- Guilty: guilt, shame, remorse, self-criticism;
- Relaxed: relaxation, tranquility, tranquility, serenity;
- Excited: energy, interest, curiosity;
- Boring: apathy, indifference, despondency;
- Creative: inspiration, creativity, etc.
This is not a complete list of mood types, but just some examples. In reality, mood can be mixed, when a person experiences several emotions at the same time or moves from one emotion or feeling to another.
Differences from Other Mental Processes
To better understand what mood is, let’s consider its main differences from other states and processes:
- Differences from emotions.The mood is a long-lasting state, while emotions are fleeting. At the same time, emotions flow more vividly and are easier to notice from the outside.
- Differences from affect.The mood can be hidden or portrayed. The state of effect is obvious to others since it is a very intense process of an explosive nature, during which a person partially or completely loses control over himself.
- Differences in feelings. Feelings are usually attached to the object that causes them. Moods have no such connection. Feelings can be ambivalent, but ambivalence is not characteristic of the mood.
- Differences from experiences.Experiences usually have a reason that a person is aware of. The mood is not tied to anything. In this case, the experiences are purely psychological in nature and are not related to well-being or physiological processes.
How Is Emotion Different from Mood?
Although there is a fundamental difference between emotion and mood, they are two words that can often be confused. First, let’s define what mood is and what emotion is.
Definitions of Mood and Emotion
- Mood: A mood refers to an emotional state.
- Emotion: Emotion refers to a psychological state.
Characteristics of Mood and Emotion
Time duration:
- Mood: A mood lasts for a long period.
- Emotion: An emotion only lasts for a short period.
Intensity:
- Mood: Moods are mild.
- Emotion: Emotions are extremely intense.
Types of Mood Disorders
The most striking mental disorders with mood swings are the aforementioned bipolar disorder, depression and panic disorder.
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar affective disorder is chronic. Consists of at least two episodes with greater than normal changes in mood, energy, and activity. Periods of excessive activity are replaced by an even state, after which a phase of depression begins. However, the disease progresses differently. Modern literature describes about 6 subcategories of bipolar disorder.
Depression
Depression is a mental disorder characterized by a depressed, depressed, anxious, melancholy, fearful, or indifferent state and loss of the ability to experience pleasure.
Depression negatively affects all areas of a person’s life and his psyche, including cognitive processes and social activity. Subjectively, the condition is difficult to tolerate and may be accompanied by physical symptoms.
Major depressive disorder can be endogenous, that is, it develops against the background of general well-being, and psychogenic, which appears as a consequence of one or another psychological cause.
Types of Anger Disorders in Adults
Despite seeming unique, anger disorder can be understood in two spheres. Therefore, aggressive people with outbursts of anger can be classified into mild or severe attitudes.
Mild Tantrum
A mild tantrum occurs with an average frequency of twice a week for a minimum period of 3 months. In this sense, it is possible to see that explosive temperament is reflected in insults, swearing, threats, obscene gestures, and physical aggression without bodily harm.
Explosive Aggressive Disorder
Concerning explosive aggressive disorder considered serious, angry people destroy property, in addition to carrying out physical attacks resulting in bodily harm. Generally, these incidents occur 3 times within a period of one year.
Conclusion
So, that wraps up our exploration of ‘Different Types of Moods.’ Remember, understanding our emotions is a key player in mental health. Speaking of which, if you’re dealing with mood-related disorders, you’re not alone. The Renewed Mental Health Group is here, offering support and understanding. Because in this journey, we’re all figuring out the emotional rollercoaster together. Take care of your mental well-being—it matters.
