Toxoplasmosis and Mood Swings

Toxoplasma gondii is one of the most common parasites in the world. Sixty million people are infected by this parasite and develop toxoplasmosis. Although symptoms rarely emerge, they do exist and mood swings could be the least of your problems.

Symptoms of Toxoplasmosis and Mood Swings
One of the reasons why you won’t even know you’re suffering from toxoplasmosis is because many of its symptoms are similar to what you suffer from when you have mononucleosis or the flu.

Such symptoms include but are not limited to an occasional sore throat, fever and fatigue, headache, swollen lymph node, and various body aches. All these are uncomfortable to have and it’s no wonder why, if you experience more than one of them at the same time, you end up having mood swings.

Other Medical Conditions Causing Toxoplasmosis and Mood Swings
If you have recently undergone organ transplant, are currently being treated with chemotherapy or are suffering from HIV or AIDS, your condition will also put you at risk of suffering the symptoms of toxoplasmosis infection. This includes but isn’t limited to blurry vision, lung problems, seizures, poor coordination, confusion, and headache. Again, all these are certainly not pleasant to have and they can only contribute to your mood swings instead of alleviating them.

Toxoplasmosis and Mood Swings during Pregnancy
It is especially dangerous for your unborn child if you are infected by toxoplasmosis during your pregnancy. The complications can be mild to life-threatening and early detection is critical for effective treatment.

If the infection took place in the early trimester of your pregnancy, there is a lower risk of having your baby similarly infected, regardless of whether you’re suffering from its symptoms or not. Early infection, however, also means it’s possible for the baby to develop complications caused by the disease even without being infected.

Toxoplasmosis can cause stillbirths and miscarriages. If not that, then babies infected with or affected by the disease may be born suffering from a severe eye infection, jaundice, an enlarged liver and spleen, or seizures.

There may also be instances when symptoms of toxoplasmosis will only manifest in the child’s teenage years. Symptoms not only include mood swings but possible blindness, mental retardation, and hearing loss as well.

How You Get Infected with Toxoplasmosis
Prevention is still the best cure for any disease. To avoid mood swings caused by toxoplasmosis, you need to know how to avoid getting infected in the first place.

Infected Cat Feces
Cat lovers are the ones facing the greatest risk of contracting toxoplasmosis. The parasite responsible for toxoplasmosis is most often found in cat feces, especially when your pet has just returned from hunting or is being fed with raw meat. Coming into contact with it while you’re cleaning your pet’s litter box or gardening immediately puts you at risk.

Contaminated Water or Food
T. gondii can also be found in contaminated food and water, especially unpasteurized goat’s milk or meats like pork, lamb, and venison. Eating any of these infected substances or food also puts you at risk.

Contact with contaminated objects and other foods are also another way for you to get infected with toxoplasmosis.

Unsafe Organ Transplants
Last but not the least, make sure that any blood or organ transplant you receive is completely safe and clean.

Keep all these tips in mind and you’ll be free from mood swings caused by toxoplasmosis!

The Cure for Wild Mood Swings

Here are seven simple tips to help you achieve a cure for your wild mood swings.

Acknowledge the problem.
This is the first step in curing wild mood swings especially with men. Since mood swings and depressions are more common with women, most of all during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause, they don’t have as hard a time admitting to having such problems.

With men, it’s quite different. Mood swings are uncommon or so they think and they often consider it a weakness. Unfortunately, curing wild mood swings is impossible unless they acknowledge the problem and become willing to seek treatment for it.

Exercise regularly.
This will come as a surprise to many but the mere act of walking briskly outdoors for about twenty minutes each day has proven to be more effective than antidepressants. As you can see, the best cures for wild mood swings aren’t always medical in nature. They can be natural, too.

Walking outdoors is especially helpful because not only do they give your body an overall workout but they also allow you to breathe fresh air and socialize. Enjoying the company of a friend or loved one or simply taking pleasure in your surroundings will make you happy and consequently less prone to suffering from mood swings.

Eat healthy.
Another natural cure for wild mood swings is having the right diet. Sticking to the right diet is easier than most people think. Unless you have a medical condition like hypertension or diabetes and which requires a special diet, eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to abstain from any food group.

Rather, moderation is the key to having the right diet. Eat moderately of any food group and you’ll be safe. Wine and dark chocolate for instance comes with its own share of health benefits and including them in your diet won’t be bad at all but only if you consume the appropriate amount.

Of course, healthy eating will be always made more effective if you eat more fruits and greens. Drink lots of water, too! Water helps remove toxins from your body and improves not only your health but your overall well-being, too.

If you’re feeling happy and full, there’s no reason for you to suffer from mood swings.

Be happy.
Happiness is a state of being. It involves not only your emotions but your thoughts and psychological health as well.

Being at peace helps make you happier, but it’s not easily achieved. One way of gaining inner peace is by meditation. Meditating helps you relax and enjoy the maximum value of your rest.
Meditation also helps you gain more control over your moods, consequently reducing the frequency of your mood swings.

Meditation is best done in seclusion. Try reserving a few moments of the day for yourself. Look for a room where you can meditate in silence and without any distraction. If you don’t know how to meditate, there are various exercises like yoga or tai-chi to help you do so.

Communicate.
Talking things out will also reduce the frequency of your mood swings, but again, this is more difficult for men than it is for women. While women generally have no problems airing out their feelings, men are usually unwilling to talk about what’s bothering them, much less ask help for it.

Do all these and they can surely cure your wild mood swings.

Symptoms of Mood Swings in Men

Women are not alone in suffering from mood swings. Men, too, can be a victim of them and when they do suffer from them, rest assured that they’ll prove to be crabbier than women with PMS.

Food, Energy, and Mood Swings
Men generally use up more energy than women because they’re more active. Food is something they consume in large quantities because it gives them the energy they need to get through the day. It allows them to play sports, perform house chores, play with the kids, and do their job.

Eating the wrong food, however, wouldn’t be able to give them the energy they need. Rather, they’ll get the opposite: foods high in fats and oils, for instance, will give them a weaker heart. They’re also prone to anxiety and irritability and definitely more liable to suffer from mood swings.

Diagnosing Mood Swings in Men
Although there are more women overall who suffer from mood swings, the pendulum actually swings to the other direction upon reaching middle age. By that time, only 25% of females suffer from mood swings compared to 40% with men. One reason for this, perhaps, is due to the absence of professional diagnosis. Mood swings and consequently depression in men are rarely detected early; statistically speaking, it takes about a decade and 3 health professionals before a proper diagnosis is achieved.

There are three good reasons why mood swings in men aren’t detected early.

Firstly, the symptoms of mood swings and depression in men are quite different from the symptoms suffered by women with the same condition. Secondly, men are less inclined to speak of their condition and their male colleagues are equally unlikely to ask for explanations. Last but not the least, sexual problems may be one of the common reasons for depression and mood swings but men rarely acknowledge its existence, much less admitting it to be a cause of their condition.

Symptoms of Mood Swings in Men
When men suffer from mood swings, they’re likely to display one or more of the symptoms listed below.

Unreasonable Censure
Men could consider their mood swings inexplicable but because of their nature, they will do their best to find a reason for it. Unless they’ve been properly diagnosed, they’re liable to blame others for their mood swings. Now, if there’s absolutely no other person to blame for their condition then men would usually resort to blaming themselves.

Anger and Irritability
Mood swings also make people more irritable and quicker to anger than usual. Mood swings are exhausting because it requires you to feel more than usual. One moment you’re happy, the next moment you’re down, and feeling like this several times a day certainly won’t make anyone feel good.

Creating and Avoiding Conflict
Mood swings make men feel unbalanced and unable to control their emotions. Because of this, they are more prone to create or avoid conflict, depending on the situation. If they feel they’re unable to cope with a problem then they’re likely to sweep it under the rug rather than face it head on. Then again, they can choose to alleviate their frustrations by creating conflicts instead.

Poor Sleeping Habits
Last but not the least, sleep is also affected by mood swings. Men could seek sleep excessively in order to avoid mood swings. On the other hand, men could also suffer from sleep deprivation because of mood swings.

Sleep Apnea Mood Swings

Sleep apnea may not be a commonly known term, but it’s a sleeping disorder that many people suffer from. In sleep apnea, affected individuals suffer from shallow breathing, with regular pauses in their sleep that last approximately ten to twenty seconds or even more. Such pauses can occur as frequently as thirty times in an hour.

Sleep Apnea and Mood Swings
Mood swings are sure to occur more frequently when one is suffering from sleep apnea and the disorder hasn’t yet been diagnosed.

Sleep apnea, after all, will prevent your body from being recharged and feeling refreshed while you’re at asleep. You may not know this when you wake up, but your body knows it and mood swings will be a natural result.

Even when sleep apnea has been diagnosed, this cannot completely guarantee that your mood swings will stop. First and foremost, your condition might have been undiagnosed for so long that your mood swings has become an inevitable part of your personality. If this is the case, you’ll need professional help to remove it from your “daily routine”.

The mood swings may not have been caused by sleep apnea at all. Again, you’ll need help from a professional to determine whether your medical condition is the underlying cause or not.

Symptoms of Sleep Deprivation Caused by Sleep Apnea
Mood swings are not the only symptoms of sleep apnea. Other symptoms may occur, and these symptoms may also cause or aggravate mood swings.

Depression
Although you won’t immediately suffer from serious bouts of depression, there will be times that you’ll feel more depressed than usual. This can result to mood swings if you become frustrated by your inability to pinpoint the cause of your depression.

Low Emotional Coping Abilities
We are faced by challenges everyday and many of these challenges require us to be emotionally resilient one way or another. Emotional resilience, however, is hard to achieve when your mind and body are tired due to sleep deprivation. Again, if you become surprised and disappointed by your sudden inability to cope emotionally, this could cause you to suffer from mood swings.

Poor Memory Recall
Memory recall may be an inborn talent or an acquired skill. Either way, you’ll be hard pressed to remember things if you are suffering, especially unknowingly, from sleep apnea. Consequently, if you find yourself frustrated by this then you’ll probably start suffering from mood swings again.

Weight Gain
People suffering from sleep apnea are usually unable to benefit from regular exercise and moderate eating. Weight gain will naturally be the consequence and for image-conscious people, this can be reason enough to suffer from mood swings.

Accidents and Trauma
If you have recently suffered from an accident or any traumatic event, this may be the cause of your mood swings and not sleep apnea. In fact, sleep apnea may also be one of the results of such events.

Complications Caused by Sleep Apnea and Mood Swings
If you do not seek treatment immediately, sleep apnea and mood swings can lead to serious complications. Excessive sleep deprivation can make you nod off at the most inopportune times and make driving hazardous. Lack of sleep will also make you unhealthy and more vulnerable to various sicknesses. Last but not the least, sleep apnea and mood swings will not make you happy and good at work – two important qualities that every ideal employee has.

Skipping Period Birth Control Pills Can Cause Mood Swings

Taking birth control pills is one of the various ways you can act responsible in a relationship. Certain birth control methods, however, can have unwanted side effects. Oral contraceptives in particular are known to cause mood swings if you use them irregularly.

Birth Control Pills and Mood Swings
Studies show that mood swings are more likely to occur not because you’re using birth control pills but rather because of the irregularity of your use. In connection with that, not all oral contraceptives count mood swings as one of their possible side effects. Studies suggest that birth control pills containing progestin components are more likely to cause mood swings than other types of oral contraceptives.

The Different Types of Birth Control Methods
Upon choosing a new birth control method, it’s generally advised to give your preferred method a three month trial period. If your mood swings persist after that, consult your physician for a more effective contraceptive.

Progestin-Only Oral Birth Control Pill
This is said to be the kind of birth control method that’s most prone to inducing mood swings. Also known as mini-pill, they prevent contraception by increasing the thickness of your body’s cervical mucus membrane. They do not contain estrogen, which is good, but they do require however accurate timing: if you’re more than three hours late in taking your next pill, it’s best to take precautionary measures by taking a different birth control pill or method for the next 2 days.

Combined Oral Birth Control Pill
These pills contain a combination of progestin and estrogen. You take them twenty-one days each month, but you’re free not to use them for one week without having to suffer any consequences. Their rate of effectiveness is said to be 99%.

Depo-Provera Shot
This is another progestin-only type of birth control, but instead of having to take pills you get a shot instead. They’re said to be 99.9% effective but if you miss your shot by a few days then their effectiveness decreases to 97%. Again, since this contains progestin, depo-provera shots may make you suffer from mood swings from time to time.

Patches
If smokers have nicotine patches then responsible women have progestin or estrogen patches. Naturally, if you choose the patch containing progestin, you’re immediately at risk of suffering from occasional mood swings.

For patches to work, they have to stay attached to your skin for three straight weeks. You are, however, able to take them off for the 4th week of the month without suffering any consequences. Patches are said to be 99% effective as well.

Diaphragms
Instead of working chemically to prevent contraception, birth control methods like diaphragms simply prevent you from conceiving by acting as a physical barrier. Since they do not use any hormones or even chemicals for birth control, they come with minimal, if any, side effects. They are not, however, as effective as the previous methods mentioned. At best, they offer 94% effectiveness but regular use could reduce its effectiveness to just 84%.

Nuva Ring
This is one of the lesser-known methods of birth control. It is inserted in a female’s vagina once a month. It releases progestin and estrogen to prevent contraception. Again, because of progestin, you are likely to suffer from mood swings if you use this inconsistently. Nuva rings are also not advisable for those with high blood pressure or are presently smoking.

The Link between Scoliosis and Mood Swings

Scoliosis may not be a life-threatening condition, but it is seriously debilitating, enough in some cases to make people suffer from dangerous mood swings.

What is Scoliosis?
Scoliosis is an abnormal back condition in which the spine suffers from an additional curve. Girls are twice as much likely than boys to suffer from scoliosis. This condition is also hereditary and occurs more commonly with those age 10 years old and above.

Types of Scoliosis
Doctors still haven’t determined all possible causes of scoliosis. They did, however, have taken to classifying the various types of scoliosis as it has proven to be of great help in choosing the ideal treatment for this condition.

Idiopathic Scoliosis
The cause is still undetermined for this type of scoliosis. Infantile idiopathic scoliosis affect those below three years of age while adolescent idiopathic scoliosis affect those over 10 years old. Juvenile idiopathic scoliosis, on the other hand, affect those between 3 to 10 years old.

Functional Scoliosis
This condition is a result of another physical deformity such as back muscle spasms or simply having a shorter leg. With functional scoliosis, the spine is originally normal but an additional curve develops due to the deformity.

Neuromuscular Scoliosis
In this type of scoliosis, the problem lies in the bones of your spine. It is one of the more sever kinds of scoliosis and the additional curve may or may not be inborn.

Degenerative Scoliosis
This affects adults and additional curves that cause a person to suffer from scoliosis is a result of another medical condition like arthritis.

Signs and Symptoms of Scoliosis
Here are several ways for you to know early on if you are suffering from scoliosis.

Physical Deformities
Whether inherent or not, physical deformities can indeed develop into scoliosis. One thing to watch out for is uneven lengths and distances. Shoulders, waists, and hips that are uneven or shorter than the other can all lead to scoliosis.

Fatigue
Indeed, fatigue can also lead to scoliosis albeit indirectly. Fatigue can lead to stress and this can lead to poor posture and sleeping habits as well as mood swings. Ultimately, it can deteriorate until you find out you’re suffering from scoliosis.

Complications
When you have scoliosis and you have no treatment or medication for your condition, several complications could arise.

Lung and Heart Damage
In worse cases, the abnormalities in your spine could lead to further physical abnormalities. Scoliosis, for instance, could cause your rib cage to press more closely against your heart and lungs, which then makes breathing more difficult. If worse comes to worst, it might be close enough to inflict actual damage.

Back Problems
Naturally, spinal abnormalities will cause back problems. If your condition doesn’t improve, you could the mere act of leaning your back or lying down a difficulty.

Poor Social Image
Scoliosis is not pretty. If the abnormal curves are exaggerated, you’ll be forced to walk with a hunched back and this could make you less confident of making new friends and developing relationships.

Scoliosis and Mood Swings
Scoliosis is not a pleasant condition to have. Your spine, after all, affects every movement you do and any abnormality will be reflected on how you move. Without proper therapy and treatment, coping with your condition could be a problem and you could suffer from mood swings because of it.

Who’s At Risk of Suffering from Rapid Mood Swings?

Although studies have already successfully proven that there are two females suffering from rapid mood swings and depression for every male, this doesn’t mean that mood swings are an exclusive property of women. Unfortunately for the entire human population, gender, age, or even culture makes no difference as far as mood swings are concerned.

Children
Yes, children do suffer from rapid mood swings, too. But the most important thing to be aware of perhaps is that rapid mood swings which have taken place in your adulthood may have its roots in childhood depression or a similar condition.

Researchers believe that childhood links are important in treating and preventing rapid mood swings and depression from taking place in a person’s adult years.

Elderly Persons
It’s true that depression, in which rapid mood swings are just one of its numerous symptoms, tend to be more common with older people, but evidence to support this is still somewhat lacking because of the difficulties in diagnosing it.

For one thing, adults, especially those in their advanced years, are capable of lying and denying reality. Whereas children are essentially honest and incapable of understanding the need for deception, adults are aware of the possible consequences of admitting to depression and rapid mood swings. If they think they’ll suffer from admitting to it then they could easily lie and do what they can to prevent anyone from making a correct diagnosis of their condition.

Of course, it could just as easily be the other way around and with elderly people simply not being aware that they are suffering from rapid mood swings. True, their unconscious may be aware of it but as long as they remain blind to what’s happening to them and they report nothing, it’s highly likely that their attending physician won’t even notice anything’s amiss with their patient.

Comobordity
Simply put, other existing conditions could cause rapid mood swings to occur. Suffering from an illness could cause you to experience rapid mood swings. To get rid of mood swings, you’ll need to have your illness treated first. But this works both ways, too. If you are suffering from depression and rapid mood swings, making a conscious effort not to feel depressed could also make the treatment for your existing illness more effective.

Race, Culture, and Lifestyle
Demographic and social aspects of your life may also be contributory factors. In the United States, for instance, the nation’s health program offers inadequate treatments and solutions that are specifically designed for treating American citizens who belong to other races and minorities. Certainly, such treatments are available from private practices but they come at a higher price.

How you live your life and the relationships you have with other people can also increase or decrease the likelihood that you’re suffering from rapid mood swings. In general, however, you’re less likely to suffer from them if you are happy and contented and are surrounded by people who care for you.

Last but not the least, remember that money talks. The best way to know if you’re suffering from rapid mood swings is to have yourself checked out by a medical professional and do so regularly. But this will cost money and if you don’t have enough money then that could yet be another reason for you to suffer from rapid mood swings.