When we think about assessing mood, the first thing that usually comes to mind is that it is something that a professional does during a consultation. Of course, this is true, and it is part of good mood disorder treatment, but I would also like to present another perspective here.
What have I realized from working for a long time with bipolar disorder? At least this: every person benefits from reflecting on their own state of being and, as part of that, their own mood. How do I feel today? What has my overall state been like? What kinds of emotions have I experienced today, what kinds of thoughts have I had, and what have I done? Mood is a more enduring state than emotions, but it influences our emotions and how we experience and interpret daily events.
“Regularly checking in with your mood helps you remember that even the worst of times will pass.”
When and why should you get to know your own mood?
Monitoring your mood is particularly useful if you experience mood swings. But it is also beneficial for those who experience slower changes. Monitoring your mood helps you get to know yourself better and notice what affects your well-being. It’s a super tool: it allows you to experience more of the feelings you want to feel. In addition, regularly monitoring your mood helps you remember that even the worst moods will pass.
How do professionals assess mood?
Professionals use various questionnaires to assess mood and calculate scores from them. This is necessary for monitoring a client’s well-being. However, assessments used in appointments are generalizations of symptoms typically associated with a psychiatric diagnosis. They do not capture the individuality of symptoms and can therefore feel frustrating and burdensome to complete.
If you are a client in a setting where mood is monitored with questionnaires, it is a good idea to also share with your care provider any symptoms you notice yourself that the questionnaire does not ask about.
Anyone can assess their own mood using a few simple steps. From the following guide, you can choose to use just the first step or even all of them. Be present with yourself and listen to how you are feeling—ideally every day.
Read more:
A better understanding of depression
Pick up tips from here
Steps to assessing your own mood
- Step 1: Stopping
Pause to observe your own mood every day or even once a week. - Step 2: Recognizing your own “symptoms”
What changes do you notice in yourself? What changes when your mood changes? How do your mood and general well-being change? Are there any predictable patterns? - Step 3: Defining your own scale to track key changes in mood
This could be from -5 to zero, or if your mood and energy levels tend to fluctuate, it is worth extending the scale to +5 and keeping zero as the neutral mood point. If you want to examine your own changes in detail, you can assign a severity level to each number value based on your own symptoms: What signs indicate that my mood is -3? There are also handy apps available for monitoring your mood.
Bonus step: What can I do to feel better? You may find clues to the bonus step along the way.
About the author of this article
My name is Tiina Kouhia, and I am a psychologist and short-term therapist. I have worked in psychiatric care for a long time, and some of my areas of expertise include bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders, and related cognitive challenges. I also have experience in treating depression and anxiety disorders.
Book an appointment at my clinic if you need support with any of these challenges.