Is it normal that i am happy one moment and depressed the next?

Hi there.

I am wondering if the way I am is normal. I am happy one moment. I feel that life is great, I am a good person, things are going well, I feel confidant and feel like I can do anything I put my mind to. This usually lasts for a couple of hours to a full day. However, I just as often (if not more often) feel extremely depressed, hopeless, hateful, without friends, judgmental, helpless, self conscious, like a failure, and like I will never able to be successful or happy or have real friends.

I also feel like my emotions are highly dependent on my physical state. I am often tired and have mild headaches or just want to take a nap, or lay down and watch tv or something. This is often inconvenient because I am a college student and am very busy and have lots of things to do. I feel like when I am feeling this way I have no ability to control the way I act around others. I wish I was friendlier and warmer, but in general I am quiet, cold, and very shy, or anxious or awkward.

I am a girl (21) and dated one boy for two years. We fought all the time and hated each other, but also felt like we loved each other at times. Since then I have pretty much closed myself off to men, but am now realizing that I need to become warmer if I ever want to meet someone. However, I feel that my up and down emotions and inability to control these emotions makes it difficult to put on my "happy face." I am a terrible actor, and if I am feeling unhappy, it is impossible for me to hide it- like i said, I am usually quiet, and sometimes complain.

My dad is a mental basket case, who was very emotional (with up and down emotions) as well, and I don't want to end up like him. His got worse as he got older.

Please let me know what you think.

Is It Normal?
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Comments ( 6 ) Sort: best | oldest
  • Try to find the source of your happiness in life, what makes you happy? What makes you sad? Is there a trigger? If not, then its something within that you need to address with the help of anyone you trust, that is also a good listener, but, I will be honest with you, thats really tough to find.

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  • Speak to your doctor and tell him this, get a referral to a psychiatrist. Sounds like possibly bipolar disorder? It has strong family links and your father may have it also. Good luck.

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  • Im 22, I have these weird mood swings too, especially when Im stressed out. When I was younger it was worse, sometimes I was extremely happy and sometimes depressed, bored, scared, feeling like shit. I was arguing with my boyfriend all the time. Maybe it was we had some problems at home (my mom got sick and everything collapsed, dad didnt know what to do, mom was nervous, sister arguing with her, mom in hospital, I had to do everything) and I was stressed out because of school. Fortunately my bf didnt leave me, we are still together, we love each other, but I still have mood swings when I have exams or something stressful at the university. I also hate people (not everyone), they annoy me how are they staring at their phones all the time, the boring bastards they are and they think they are better than everyone else. I can get really pissed of. Im in this weird mood now btw...

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  • Your Bipolar i think...

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  • I dealt with that. I couldn't even handle a stable relationship...my friends couldn't handle me...I told my doctor and he gave me meds for depression and I'm lime a whole different person! I didn't know I could feel this good! I'm in a great relationship now and everything is great! Talk to a doctor and your whole life can change dramatically! Good luck!

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  • Thanks for the comments. I don't think I have bipolar disorder (from what I read about it, the ups and downs last for much longer than what I experience). Scotty4444: I agree, I need to find what makes me happy in life. Sometimes when I am at home on breaks (I am in college right now) I feel like I am much happier, because of the balance I am able to achieve with working and doing what makes me happy. Right now I am hoping that the independence I will have after college will allow me to make decisions that are right for me. However, I know that searching for "control" is not the answer, because life is always unpredictable and we are never really in control of anything other than our thoughts; something I am seeking to be in control of. In college, the balance I am looking for is one between thought and action! Being proactive instead of reactive is something I really need to work on!

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