Mood refers to a relatively long-lasting emotional state or disposition that influences how you feel and perceive the world around you. It is different from emotions, which are more short-term and specific reactions to particular events or stimuli. While emotions are often intense and temporary, moods can persist for hours, days, or even longer.
Moods are typically categorized into various broad emotional states, which can include:
- Happy: Feeling content, joyful, or satisfied.
- Sad: Experiencing feelings of sorrow, disappointment, or grief.
- Angry: Feeling irritated, frustrated, or upset.
- Anxious: Experiencing worry, fear, or unease.
- Calm: Feeling peaceful, relaxed, or tranquil.
- Energetic: Feeling lively, enthusiastic, or excited.
- Tired: Experiencing fatigue or low energy.
- Irritable: Feeling easily annoyed or quick to anger.
- Hopeful: Experiencing optimism and positive expectations.
- Depressed: Feeling down, hopeless, or unmotivated.
When your therapist asks you to note your moods during the day, they are likely interested in gaining insight into how you are feeling over time and identifying any patterns or trends in your emotional states. Keeping a mood journal or using mood tracking apps can be helpful for this purpose. In your journal, you can record the primary emotions or moods you experience throughout the day, along with any relevant triggers or events.
Mood tracking can provide valuable information to you and your therapist, helping you both understand your emotional well-being and make informed decisions about your mental health treatment or coping strategies. It can also help identify any factors or situations that may be affecting your moods positively or negatively.
When describing your moods, you can use the emotional state names listed above, or you can also use descriptive words to convey the intensity or specific qualities of your emotions (e.g., "content," "frustrated," "peaceful," "overwhelmed," "hopeful," etc.). The goal is to record how you genuinely feel throughout the day to facilitate meaningful discussions and insights during your therapy sessions.