Accepting that mood swings are a logical result of a central nervous system that has been temporarily compromised by psychiatric drugs and withdrawal, and reassuring yourself that people heal from psychiatric drugs with time, may be help bring you some peace in the midst of the emotional storm.
Making changes to your diet may be a helpful way to decrease the intensity of your moods; many people report that limiting or fully removing sugar and caffeine can really help lessen the swings in mood, for example, and that eating a lot of healthy fat helps their brains heal. You’ll want to do your own research to explore connections between diet and mood, listening to your body every step of the way. You might also want to reach out to others at TWP Connect to hear what’s been helpful for them.
Finding outlets through which you can channel any intense surges of emotion may be a good option to explore—anything from writing and creative expression to ecstatic dance to hitting a punching bag (being sure not to cause injuries to one’s hand or arm) or screaming into a pillow. A lot of people find that trying to contain these emotions only leads them to feel more unmanageable, and that making space to allow for release can be both cathartic and healing.
Exercise—anywhere from gentle to rigorous, depending on you and what your body is telling you—can be a very helpful way to ease the intensity of mood swings and help cultivate an overall sense of emotional grounding.
Withdrawal-induced mood swings: quick tips