A Bad Mood Can Turn Against You
We usually have complaints about the way other people treat us. According to the psychologist Elisa Múgica, this type of behavior is due to the action of mirror neurons which cause a bad mood. This type of neuron encourages us to act the same way other people treat us. These famous and interesting neurons are responsible for the contagious yawn. They also make us smile when someone smiles at us or go into a bad mood when someone angry addresses us.
Therefore, all the insults and bad words which come out of our mouths end up finding their way back to us. Unfortunately, wreaking havoc on our personal and emotional balance. Being in a bad mood is like being in a constant battle with ourselves, with others and with the situations of our everyday lives.
One of the explanations why some people are constantly moody, despite the fact life has given them fortune, is that they have an ego which is just too big. Few things or nothing at all seems good enough for them. And they think that reality is especially committed to preventing their expectations from being fulfilled. This way of thinking causes their constant bad mood. In this sense, tempestuous mood is a state of mind which belittles and enslaves us both at the same time.
“Ignorance and error are wellsprings of bad moods.”
– Baron d’Holbach –
Where does our bad mood come from?
Any circumstance can be a trigger for a bad mood. Our moods are a state of mind in which we settle because of many different factors. Some experts conclude that unfulfilled expectations, for example, make us more prone to having altered thoughts and that is what ends up putting us in a bad mood.
Anger, in this sense, can inform us when we have been victims of an act of injustice. It fill us with the energy needed for us to raise our voice. It can also make us prisoners of resentment. It will all depend on the way we manage this emotion.
Our bad mood can also be explained, as long as there are no neurological disorders, as a state of mind in which a denial of reality usually takes places. People who are continually moody are rarely satisfied with what they have. Their unrealistic expectations produce a great frustration. And that translates into anger and bad mood, making them see the situation even worse than it really is or can be.
“Bitterness and pride are twin brothers. Bad mood and irritability are their inseparable companions.”
-Mother Teresa of Calcutta-
A bad mood can attack both the body and the mind
Being continuously moody causes us psychological discomfort and emotional exhaustion which compromises our immune system. On top of that, according to a study conducted at Harvard University, it increases the risk of cardiovascular problems and is harmful for the lungs as well.
Bad-tempered people have feelings of irritation, anger, and rage. They focus their attention on external obstacles which prevent them from achieving their goals. So they place the blame on these external factors for their frustration. In addition, bad moods generate the need to act physically or verbally in an intense and immediate way.
On a physiological level, this state of mind activates the nervous system, raises the heart rate and blood pressure. At the same time, it reduces our blood volume and peripheral skin temperature. It also increases muscular tension and the secretion of adrenaline, thus preparing our bodies for intense efforts.
Due to growing scientific evidence about the negative impact of a bad mood can have on the body, it’s a better option to count to ten before losing control. Don’t you think?
“We must interpret a bad mood as a sign of insecurity and lack of self-esteem.”
-Alfred Adler-
