Is it normal to have extreme ups and downs?
I know that having mood swings is a typical teenage thing. But are they really this extreme for everybody?
When I am in my 'ups', I feel like in an euphoria - I waste money buying useless stuff. Drink alcohol with friends even if I conciously didn't want to. Frequently meet up with mates, easily find new friends. I could literally learn 3 program languages at once and remember all the syntax. Talking in front of the class is easy because I don't give a f***. I even make songs about my cat.
But then i get my depressed 'downs' - I shut in completely, I just want to sleep or surf the net in my bed all day. Everybody suddenly seems to judge me. My every word, my every movement. Anything I try to do, I quickly lose focus and makes me tired and anxious. I lose appetite. I am too unmotivated to learn anything, let alone do my homework.
Seasons seem to affect the lenght of the episodes. During spring-summer, my happy emotions can keep in control for well over months. But in autums-winter, sad emotions overtake. I could be depressed for a week or two before my euphoric state kicks in for a week or less. For instance, I was depressed ever since December started, and had my happy episode during the weekend. Now I feel awful again.
Is it normal to have such mood swings during teenage years? Or is it a sympton of something more serious?