Bad mood? How to identify triggers for a better life

A bad mood is a passing yet pervasive affective state characterised by feelings of irritability, dissatisfaction, sadness or gloom. Unlike acute anger, which usually has a specific and identifiable cause, a bad mood is often generalised, clouding your perception of what is happening.

In a professional setting, this may manifest in a manager giving mean, unconstructive feedback or a colleague who intentionally withdraws from collaborative assignments, creating a palpable tension that totally stifles creativity.

In a home setting, the impact felt is often more profound. A parent in a bad mood may respond to a child’s natural curiosity with uncharacteristic impatience or rudeness, while a spouse might engage in stonewalling, avoiding eye contact and providing one-word answers to the point of withdrawing emotionally.

To identify these triggers, you must be aware and emotionally intelligent. Triggers are rarely singular. They typically result from a cumulative effect of physiological stressors such as sleep deprivation or fluctuating blood sugar, coupled with external pressures such as looming deadlines or unresolved interpersonal friction.

For you to pick these signs, you must practice objective self-observation by noting the moment internal tension begins to rise. You can start by checking for environmental cues: is it triggered by a specific interaction, does it occur at a certain time of day, or perhaps a sensory overload? Recognising these patterns creates room for intervention before they manifest physically.

The consequences of leaving these states unchecked will lead to what behaviour experts refer to as emotional contagion. Research shows that emotions can spread through a group much like a viral load, whereby an individual’s negative attitude or mood can lower the collective morale and productivity of an entire team.

In a family setting, as one would expect, the stakes are even higher. Chronic, unregulated bad moods take away the psychological safety of the home, forcing family members to walk on eggshells to avoid conflict.

Children in particular are highly sensitive to parental moods and may internalise a parent’s irritability as a reflection of their own self-worth, potentially leading to long-term attachment issues.

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Dealing with bad moods effectively requires a transition from reactive behaviour to proactive regulation. One of the most robust psychological tools involves intentionally changing how one interprets a stressful event. Instead of viewing a workplace setback as a personal failure, for instance, reframe it as a manageable challenge.

Practically, you can have transitions where you have periods of solitude or take a short walk before stepping into the office or entering the house. This intentional mindfulness allows you to regulate those moods so they do not become a burden to those around you.