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Mood Shifts

Meaning

Mood shifts are clinically defined as transient, sometimes rapid, changes in an individual’s predominant emotional state, ranging from periods of elevated affect to states of irritability or dysphoria. In the hormonal health domain, these fluctuations are often a direct manifestation of underlying neuro-endocrine instability, particularly involving the cyclical changes of sex hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone, or dysregulation of the HPA axis. Understanding the physiological basis of these shifts is crucial for personalized management, as they significantly impact quality of life and interpersonal function. These changes are distinct from persistent mood disorders.