Identifying moods

The List below shows a variety of moods you might have during a day. This is not a comprehensive list: you can write additional moods on the blank lines. This list helps you pin down your moods more specifically than simply "bad" or "good". Notice that moods are usually described by one word. By identifying specific moods, you will be able to set goals for emotional change and track your progress towards those goals. Learning to distinguish between moods will enable you to choose actions designed to alleviate particular moods. For example, certain breathing techniques help nervousness but not depression.

 

Mood List

Depressed	Anxious	Angry	Guilty	Ashamed
Sad	Embarrassed	Excited	Frightened	Irritated
Insecure	Proud	Mad	Panicky	Frustrated
Nervous	Disgusted	Hurt	Cheerful	Disappointed
Enraged	Scared	Happy	Loving	Humiliated
Other Moods:

 

If you have trouble identifying moods, notice changes in your body tension. Tight shoulders may signal that you are afraid or tense; a heaviness throughout your body may signal depression or disappointment.

A second way of becoming better at identifying your moods is to see if you can notice three different moods a day. If this is difficult to do, you may want to pick six of the moods from the list above and wire down situations in you past in which you felt each one.

When Vic first began cognitive therapy, he thought he was feeling anxious and depressed. As he learned to identify his moods, he discovered that he was also frequently angry. Although he had not had a drink for three years, he reported that he felt the urge to drink whenever he feared he would get "out of control". When he and his therapist looked closely at the time Vic sensed being "out of control," it became apparent that these times he was feeling very nervous or angry. When nervous, Vic experienced a rapid heartbeat, sweaty hands, and a sense that something terrible was going to happen.  He labelled these sensations being "out of control" and would have the urge to drink because h thought alcohol would help him regain control.

Vic obviously tended not be very specific about his mood, often saying he was "uncomfortable" or "numb". One of Vic's initial therapeutic tasks, therefore, was to being to distinguish among his thoughts, moods and behaviours in different situations in his life. In order to make the changes he wanted to make , Vic needed to be able to recognise the differences between these important parts of his experiences.

When Vic learned that his primary emotional difficulties were with anger and anxiety, he began to focus his attention on the situations in which he felt angry or anxious. He learned to distinguish his irritable anger from fearful worry of his anxiety. He began to identify these moods, instead of lumping them together as "numbness". As Vic began to isolate what he was feeling, it became apparent to him that when his mood was anxious he was thinking "I am losing control." When his mood was angry, he was thinking, "This is not fair - I deserve more respect."

It was important for Vic to distinguish among situational factors (part of the environment), thoughts, and moods. Situational factors can be identified by answering the following questions:

1. Who was I with?
2. What was I doing?
3. When did it happen
4. Where was I?

As a general rule, moods can be identified in one descriptive word. If it takes you more than one word to describe a mood, you may be describing a thought. Thoughts are the words or the visual images, including memories that go through your mind.

The distinction among thoughts, moods, and situational factors is important for you to learn. By distinguishing among thoughts, moods, and situational factors, you can identify the pats of your experience that are in need of change.

Reminder box Situations can be described by asking yourself: Who? What? When? Where? Moods can be described by one word. Thoughts are the words and images that go through your mind.

 

EXERCISE:  Identifying moods

Describe a recent situation in which you had a strong mood. Next, identify what moods you had during or immediately after being in that situation. Do this for five different situations.

1.  Situation:

     Moods:

2.  Situation:

     Moods:

3.  Situation:

     Moods:

4.  Situation:

     Moods:

5.  Situation:

     Moods: