9 Reasons You May Be Feeling Extra Emotional

Everyone feels extra emotional from time to time. There are all sorts of reasons that you might experience a mood shift. From common medications to undiagnosed mental health conditions, there are a variety of factors that can affect your emotions. 

Factors that contribute to heightened emotions

There are many different things that can cause heightened emotions, including the following. 

1. Medication side effects

Some prescription medications used to treat common health conditions can cause mood changes. These include medicines to treat:

• Acne

• Autoimmune conditions

• Mood disorders (like depression or bipolar disorder)

If you’ve been experiencing heightened emotions and you recently started a new medication, it might be helpful to talk to your healthcare provider. Keep a log of when you started to notice a change and track your emotions so that you can share this information with your provider. They might change your dose or suggest an alternative medication.

2. Hormonal fluctuations

Hormones like serotonin and estrogen ebb and flow throughout a woman’s menstrual cycle and during menopause. In some women, this fluctuation can cause changes in mood and increase emotional sensitivity. 

If you think hormonal changes might be affecting your mood, talk to your provider or ob-gyn. They can recommend helpful medications, supplements, or lifestyle changes. 

3. Increased stress

Sometimes, big feelings are the result of unmanaged stress. If your emotions seem more intense than usual, pause to think about what’s been going on in your life. 

• Have there been any major changes in the past few months? Maybe you got a new job, relocated to a new area, or ended an important relationship. 

• Are you facing any new stressors? 

• Are you or a loved one dealing with a health concern? 

• Have your caretaking responsibilities increased? 

• Are you experiencing financial strain? 

• Have you been unable to make time for yourself?

If your stress level is high, you may have trouble regulating your emotions. This is a typical response when your mind and body are under strain. 

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4. Lack of sleep

Getting enough sleep is critical to your overall health. And it’s also important for emotional regulation. 

Research shows that when you don’t get adequate rest, the part of your brain responsible for regulating your emotions goes into overdrive. This extra brain activity can lead to a surge of uncomfortable emotions. 

Improving your sleep habits may help you get a good night’s rest, which can help regulate your emotions, too. 

5. Symptoms of a mental health condition

Certain mental health conditions are known to cause significant emotional changes. For example, the following can make you feel extra emotional at times:

• Depression

• Bipolar disorder

• Borderline personality disorder 

• Anxiety disorders

If you’re worried that your emotional state might be due to a mental illness, talk to a professional. Your provider can provide a clinical assessment to determine what’s going on and create a treatment plan to meet your needs

6. Reactions to past trauma

Trauma, especially if it’s left unaddressed, can make it tough to manage your feelings. Trauma is a mental and physical response to experiencing things like: 

• Abuse

• Neglect

• Bullying

• Major events like war or famine 

If you have a history of trauma and you’ve been feeling extra emotional, it might be time to talk to a mental health professional. They can help you explore where your heightened feelings are coming from, learn healthy coping skills, and process your trauma in a safe, healthy way.

7. Hunger

Have you ever noticed that you’re less patient or more easily frustrated when you’re hungry? Some people call it getting “hangry.” Whatever you call it, research shows that people have a complex emotional reaction to feeling hunger. 

So if you notice that your emotions are more intense than usual, check in with your body.

8. Too much stimulation

If you’ve been feeling extra emotional, it could be because you’ve been experiencing sensory overload. This can happen when your senses are overwhelmed with too much information all at once. 

Some people experience sensory overload in crowded areas or when there are sudden changes in temperature, light, or sound levels. And when you’re over-stimulated, your emotions can become heightened.

9. Substance use

Many substances cause changes in the mind and body that impact emotions. Even casual use of alcohol can cause short-term changes in your emotions.

And a person with a substance use disorder may experience mood swings that cause them to go from euphoric highs to depressive lows. They may exhibit sudden irritability or angry outbursts along with periods of hyperactivity or giddiness.

How can I stop getting so emotional?

It’s important to note that it’s OK to get emotional sometimes. It happens to everyone, and all emotions are valid — even the messy, uncomfortable ones. To help level out during those times when you feel extra emotional, try the following. 

Learn your triggers

If you know the signs that big emotions are coming, you’ll have more time to take care of yourself. 

To learn your triggers and gain more control over your emotions, start noticing what happens in your mind and body right before an emotional flare-up. Make a list of what you notice. Then brainstorm ways you can intervene when you catch a trigger. 

For example, maybe you notice that receiving a big work assignment triggers stress. Once you know this trigger, you can make sure to take a 5-minute break to do some deep breathing after picking up a new assignment.

Take care of your body

If you’re hungry, tired, or under a lot of stress, you might not be able to regulate your emotions effectively. So practice good sleep habits, eat a balanced diet, and make time to do things that rejuvenate you. 

Practice self-compassion

Self-compassion is all about treating your mind and body with kindness and nurturing yourself when you need to. If you’ve been feeling extra emotional lately, you can practice self-compassion by having patience with yourself and taking time to recharge.

Make time for self-care

Make some time for self-care, even if you can’t do it every day. This could be as simple as stretching for a few minutes before you start the day, listening to your favorite podcast while you tidy up, or doing some mindfulness exercises.

Stay connected to others

If you’re feeling more emotional than usual, it might help to spend time with friends or family. You can talk about how you’re feeling or just enjoy quality time together doing something you enjoy. This can release bottled-up feelings and help you feel less alone. 

Talk to a professional

By speaking with a therapist, you can learn about what might be causing your mood shifts and make a plan to cope. They may guide you through treatment for a mental health condition or help you learn new ways to deal with stress.

To find a therapist, you can start by asking your healthcare provider for a referral. You can also explore therapist directories online, and sort by condition, location, and other preferences to find a good match. 

When should I seek emotional support?

If heightened emotions are negatively affecting your ability to care for yourself or keep up with your responsibilities at home, work, or school, it may be time to seek some additional support. Other signs it may be time to seek support include:

• Feeling hopeless or worthless

• Pulling away from friends and family

• Losing interest in activities you used to enjoy

• Sleeping or eating more or less than usual

• Having trouble focusing or paying attention

• Crying more than usual

• Having emotional outbursts

• Feeling restless, anxious, or worried all the time

• Acting in impulsive or aggressive ways

• Losing interest in your appearance and personal hygiene

If you are in immediate distress or have plans to hurt yourself, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. A trained crisis counselor can help you cope and connect you with additional resources. You can also contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HELLO to 741741.

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Written by:

Liz Talago, MEd

Liz Talago, MEd, is a mental health content writer and strategist whose work is infused with clinical expertise, behavioral science, and empathic storytelling. After spending years on the front lines of mental health care, Liz now partners with mission-driven organizations across the globe to create digital tools and experiences that enhance well-being.

Edited by:

Renée Fabian, MA

Renée Fabian is the senior pet health editor at GoodRx. She’s worked for nearly 10 years as a journalist and editor across a wide range of health and well-being topics.

Reviewed by:

Sarah Gupta, MD

Sarah Gupta, MD, is a licensed physician with a special interest in mental health, sex and gender, eating disorders, and the human microbiome. She is currently board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

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