Mood disorders affect over 10 million Americans each year. Although most individuals may experience slight mood changes on a daily, weekly or monthly basis, these are not to be confused with personality disorders that are diagnosed and treated by a doctor.

Personality is a distinctive set of traits, behaviors and patterns that make up our character. How we perceive the world around us, our attitudes, thoughts and feelings all are part of our individual personality. People with healthy personalities are more equipped to cope with normal stresses and typically do not have trouble forming relationships with other people.

Personality disorders make it difficult for people to deal with others. They tend to be more rigid and unable to adapt and respond to the changes and daily demands of life. Although they may feel like their behaviors are normal, people with personality disorders tend to have a very narrow view of their world and find it difficult to participate in social settings.

Personality disorders must meet several criteria. They are typically recognizable and diagnosable as an adolescent, peak during early adulthood and become less noticeable throughout middle age. Personality disorders include a deeply ingrained and inflexible pattern of relating to others, perception of the world and thoughts that are serious enough to cause impaired functioning. Some experts believe that events in childhood can have a powerful influence over behavior in later life, but most believe that people are genetically predisposed to personality disorders and environmental situations may cause a person already vulnerable to develop a true disorder.

Everybody goes through their own mood swings. Being supportive of a friend when they are dealing with emotional swings is important and you should encourage them not to suppress their feelings. It is also important for you to encourage your friends to face the cause of mood swings and being available to listen when she has something to say about what's bothering her is a great way to support her.

Mood swings can be caused by all sorts of things, from hormone balance, diet, mental health issues or just stress, our underlying issues surrounding thoughts and behaviors often control how we react to situations. It is understandable that your friend may prefer to keep things to herself for fear of upsetting you or another loved one, but inviting her to open up to you let's her know that you are there to offer help and support through a time when she may feel overwhelmed or confused about how she is behaving. You may also want to suggest that she talk to her physician about her swings in case they are being caused by some other medical or mental health issue. A physician can offer advice and treatment options for some emotional swings and perhaps will refer you to a counseling service to speak with an objective party.

Learning to address the cause of the emotional reaction, through talking, breathing and even exercise is a healthy alternative to feeling loss of self control. Helping your friend list the things that trigger her swings can be a great way to focus on finding a solution and alleviating such extreme personality patterns.