Why Do We Have Moods?

Hi George;

May I please offer my perspective on this issue you are experiencing? If yes, thank you in advance.

In reading your posts it is very evident to me that you are not dealing with a belief — at least not in the usual sense. In my understanding, what you are dealing with is a Command Phrase. A Command Phrase is any phrase that gives a command, an order, a directive, etc. and exerts incredible power over the individual. That’s a short version definition. But when anyone has a Command Phrase in place, it will rule their lives and thoughts and feelings and moods and in many instances even their biochemical reactions without rational explanation, even though they may be aware of it, though many people aren’t. In your case you happen to be aware of it but so far have been unsuccessful in dealing with it. Very common.

I don’t like using this analogy because wrong associations can be made and concluded, but it is the easiest way to try to explain what I’m talking about. The analogy is that Command Phrases act similarly to post-hypnotic suggestions but they are NOT the same. To further clarify, I will give a real life incident of just one way a Command Phrase can be implanted that will explain the power of these phrases.

I’ll call this individual Tom. Tom had to have surgery and while in surgery under anesthesia, the surgeon was talking like they usually do but, in my view shouldn’t, and said “I really like uniforms.” Under usual conditions that would not have been a problem but at the exact time he said that statement, a nurse dropped a surgical instrument on the floor creating a loud noise. To the reactive mind that meant potential danger, so the statement and the noise were recorded with great emphasis. I can’t go into all the ramifications and explanations of why this happens in the way it does, but that statement had an incredible impact on Tom’s life thereafter.

After surgery and recovery, he had this unexplainable liking for uniforms. He in short order, he bought a whole new wardrobe of uniform looking clothes, joined the Navy because he liked how that uniform looked, etc, etc. This went on for 10 years or so without understanding why he all of a sudden liked uniforms. He could find no help or explanation as to what was happening until he was helped to get rid of that Command Phrase. When that was accomplished his life returned to normal immediately.

That’s the power of a Command Phrase. As you can determine from the example, he did not adopt the surgeons statement as a “belief” but it nonetheless had great impact on his life just as the Command Phrase “I am not good at Maths” is having on you.

So in my view and understanding of all that has been presented, you do not have a true belief nor a false belief but an implant that to the conscious mind seems like a belief. So in my view, you have a Command Phrase that is actually interfering with your ability to relate to math and no amount of tutoring, affirmations, positive thinking, or such will eliminate such a Command Phrase and the power it has on the functions of your mind.

I will mention here that it doesn’t matter how it gets implanted into the reactive mind — or if you will — into the unconscious mind. The results are always the same. The reactive mind does not differentiate. It only records and takes literally what is recorded — and always in the first person. Thus Tom’s reactive mind function, in the above example, took the phrase in, in the first person, even though the surgeon said it, because the analytical mind was not conscious to make the distinction.

So, to everyone who may be reading this post, may I please, please caution to never fall asleep in front of a TV or radio that is on!! The analytical mind is shut down and all it will take for some Command Phrase to be implanted into the subconscious/reactive part of the mind that happens to be said on the TV or radio, is a load startling noise or sound that occurs at the same time the phrase is made. This this type situation happens more often than I care to consider. Thank you for allowing me to make such a cautionary suggestion.

So George, it doesn’t really matter where you picked up the Command Phrase you have, they are all eliminated in essentially the same way. Unfortunately I can’t really tell you how to do that here but I hope that I have given you some distinctions to help with your understanding. At the same time, I don’t want to just leave you empty handed so to speak nor really advise you directly, but what I will do is to offer a suggestion as to how to ground some of the energies impinged on the Command Phrase you have that give it such power.

Here’s what I would do. I would immediately cease resisting it and everything associated with it — and that includes still wanting to be an engineer and even the depression. I would fully have all those feelings in present time, but remain neutral about them as if I was an observer. I would not make any judgments of good or bad, right or wrong, etc. about what comes up. I would just allow it all to express while just observing what is presenting itself for view. If I felt like crying, I would just allow the body to cry but I would continue to remain neutral about it and just be an objective observer. If I felt anger or some other emotion come up, I would allow those feelings to come up and out — not act them out, but just allow them to be. I would continue this procedure until the energies subside or until I felt it was time to take a break and resume the procedure at a later time continuing until they are exhausted.

Since I know from direct experience in dealing with Command Phrases, there is never just one. So if during the procedure other feelings of un-worth or sadness or disgust or whatever come up, I would do the same thing. I would allow them there space and just observe them as they come up never judging or labeling them, just allowing them to be without resistance to them.

In time, I should feel a lessening and a freedom from it all or at least some relief.

Best wishes to you George,
John

Christian , absolutely no problem . I am grateful to you for your kind words.

Lauren,

Thanks fo your note . I was ambigious in my previous post for which I apologize.

As Morty states that most of us are “visual” people & so we know reality based on what we see.

So in my case even if I do not give meaning to “I am not good in maths” when I see my transcript with poor grades in Maths I can say that I have “seen” the belief , which is my transcript.

Therefore , what I am curious about is , whether it is my belief ( about Maths) that caused me to score poorly in that subject and if it is can I get rid of it .( Though I feel at age 31 it is probably late.)

Regards,
George

Lauren,

Thanks so much for the valuable input.

I did go for Mathematics coaching in school , but it didn’t help . I think it was this limiting belief that I always have about not being good in Maths that prevented me from reaching my potential. Even today 15 years later I have this belief , of not been good in Maths and therefore I couldn’t become an engineer.

Best,

George

Hello Morty,

Thanks for providing such a great information. I have used your system for removing a belief . In this regard I have just 1 question. I often remain depressed bcoz I believe I am not good enough in Maths.
My parents never said that I am not good enough in Maths when I was young .

However, by the time I was 14 yrs I was consistently scoring poor marks in maths in high school . I couldn’t secure a seat in an Engineering College bcoz of poor marks in Maths.

I am 31 yrs now , remain very depressed as I couldn’t bcome an engineer and still believe that I am poor in Maths .

Is their any possibility that this is a false believe and can I get rid of it ?

Thanks so much.

-George , India

Dear morty,
Years ago I suffered from debilitating moods of depression that could bring me to a state that was difficult to live with. I felt like a prisoner of this condition that may last for days. Interestingly without instruction or help my own mind instructed me to work on
only the present moment, their, there was peace.
Later with help from books I read I began to understand my problem was with identifying with outside events. It could have been something someone said to me or something I saw which I gave my own meaning to and the suffering would commence. Through persistant thought watching ,in time the mood began to dissolve and have little to no power over me . Today I don’t suffer from these cruel thieves. Identifiying with an outside event will cause enormous occurrings that send you living in the past or some future nightmare. Your occurring course has given me fresh fuel to dissolve all my occurings . People need to decide wether they prefer peace over their pain!
Yours truely, Kurt

Hi Morty;

You have presented some very interesting questions about moods so to answer your questions, a little pre-explanation is necessary as a lot could be written on this subject. As you know, people usually go in and out of emotional tone levels when they experience different circumstances and events. The more fluid they are at doing this, the less fixed they are at any one given emotional tone level, and the better and healthier they are emotionally and the less moody they will be.

However, if a person experiences any particular emotion and they repeat and perpetuate that same emotion over and over often enough, and/or are caused to have to experience an emotion over and over, or if they get agreement about what they are emoting about from others as well as any associated beliefs they have adopted, they begin to solidify — make more dense/solid/heavy — the emotion they are experiencing. It becomes a very solid energetic conditioned state of existence in the person’s Mental Body — or mind if you prefer though the mind is not the Mental body or the brain.

In any regard, by the repetitious process, they in essence add more and more emotional energy (mass) to the original situation and the emotional tone becomes CHRONIC — a CHRONIC EMOTIONAL TONE. A mood. A place where they now live and experience and interpret life from, and therefore, express the same emotion on a longer term basis. It has become their acceptance level from which specific emotional patterns express — which are obvious to anyone outside of themselves. In essence then, they lost fluidity on the emotional tone scale. This is how moods are born so to speak. They are stuck emotional expressions and are therefore emotions but STUCK emotions. Fixations.

The only way they usually get out of that chronic emotional state on a day to day basis is by outside triggers or influences of sufficient strength or affinity that they can be temporarily dislodged, so to speak, or unfixated from their chronic emotional tone level at which time they can then experience a different emotional level or emotion. But after the stimulus event is over, they will again return to their chronic state.

Please Note: It is important to understand that there are gradient levels of fixation. Those that are not so dense or solidly conditioned allows for more flexibility. But when the situation becomes very chronic to the extreme, then we are dealing with some form of psychosis.

So, once a mood has resulted, we really don’t want to change a negative one to a positive one or vice versa. That would be going from one fixation to another. The state we want to be in is a state of conscious fluidity where we can ideally change our emotions or emotional tone level to suit present time circumstances and events and then be able to change back to whatever other emotional tone level is required for the new set of circumstances that we encounter from moment to moment, day to day. This requires conscious intent and present time choices and relevancy. Not always an easy task given so much conditioning we have been subjected to from our inception but it can be achieved.

As to what one can do about these types situations depends on the degree of fixation present. Very chronic situations are correctable but require a very skilled practitioner who truly understands the Mental Body and the different levels of the mind functions. No drugs/medications required if the understanding is present.

Regarding handling the lesser fixations/moods, that requires listening to what the person is saying as that will reveal the basis/origin of the mood but very few people know what to look for and how to eliminate the basis behind the mood fixation.

However, in lieu of the above, I can give at least one approach to handling an emotional fixation/mood and that is to listen to ourselves. Self-reflection. Choose a quite time and just listen to what our minds are saying and the feelings that come up when we sit in silence and there are NO distractions. That will reveal any chronic emotional tone we have and some of its surface content.

Also, when we sit in silence and self-reflect, we must be certain to be non-judgmental about what comes up to our conscious awareness. If we start assigning significances to what comes up — good, bad, awful, etc., — we just add MORE mass and energy to the situation and resolution will not be accomplished. We must be neutral at all times. When we have listened enough to get a firm idea of what the mood is and what the associated thinking is — i.e. what is really really going on in our minds when it is not being bombarded with so much outside distraction and stimulus — and I must mention this is not a meditation exercise but active neutral listening and perceiving — then we are beginning to put our light and attention on the situation and becoming more and more aware of what is. Then, when we have finished the exercise and resume our usual activities, we must be very alert and aware — not fixated, but a gentle awareness for when that particular mood comes up and into our awareness and wants to express — so we can catch it as it begins to express so we can decide consciously and intentionally right then and there, if possible, not to go into agreement with it but choose another emotional tone level and emotion to express.

Each time it is caught in action, even if after the fact, and if we remain non-judgmental when it comes up for view, we discharge energies from the original mass/fixation and those energies will go to ground. And as time goes on, it will become easier and easier to change emotional tone levels — which indicates we are becoming more and more unfixated and free to choose our emotional tone level in present time.

Please note: That when doing the self-reflection awareness exercise, it would be a good idea to be barefooted or in nonsynthetic socks and not in shoes. Cotton is appropriate but barefoot is best. This allows the body to be more grounded so that when any energies are dislodged while doing the exercise they have a better path to ground and won’t circulate around in the field of the body possibly finding another place to rest based upon compatibilities. Rubber and synthetics block the normal grounding of the body whenever they are worn.

Finally, and sorry for such a lengthy comment, but this is not a subject that can be addressed superficially though I have to a point. In any regard, there may come a time after we have put enough attention on the mood through present time awareness, that your system of handling beliefs may then be able to be applied as there are beliefs and conditionings behind every mood, but in a chronic state, they are buried deep in the recesses of the mind and are not often readily available for such methods until the mass the belief is buried in is eliminated bit by bit through conscious awareness, intention, and non-agreement. Then the truth can finally rise to the surface of awareness to be handled.

Thank you,
John

Some thoughts on my experience of moods and emotions

I think perhaps moods are time-released emotions. Chemical reactions created nternally by thought/beliefs or through catalysts such as food, hormones, pills, allergens, mind altering substances, seasons, planetary shifts, sensory experiences – sounds, smells, light or lack of light – or physical environment (the difference between the mood created by a walk through aspens vs a wall through the mall – see Dr Bach).
Emotions have an intense quality, it is their nature to rise and fall quickly, it our nature to cling to them and so prolong our experience of them. Emotions are like popcorn and our mind is the popcorn machine. Moods, although sometimes feel intense, they are not like popcorn, they are more akin to molasses.
Moods are like seasons. They cycle through us in micro and macro cycles, bringing with them the opportunity of birth, growth, celebration, release and death. Can I accept my moods without the judgment of good or bad?or do I experience myself as their victim and fight for a sense of control ? Can I appreciate a mood for the gift of wholeness it offers me? A fuller experience of wholeness than I would have without it. The main element to changing mood is our willingness to let it go. If I am attached to the experience of a mood, the identity it gives me, the meaning I give, then life will show up as stuck and there will be no movement. What season do I choose to embody in this present situation? What season would offer life the opportunity of movement and which would shut life down? If I am mindful the choice is mine, unfortunately most people are not that practiced at mindfulness.
I can start the process of finding the root of my mood at any time, but knowledge needs to be accompanied by the willingness to accept and release for the possibility of change to occur . We cannot change the seasons, but we can choose how we dance with them. We can choose which season we bring into life in any situation. We choose how attached we are. We can choose to allow ourselves freedom from giving a mood negative or positive meaning. We can choose to accept ourselves human, whole and home.

Rev. Nano Boye Nagle
http://www.eft2bme.com
http://poetryfishing.blogspot.com

To sum all this up without going into any technical jargon, we all have choices
We can nag and moan and fret and get angry at life and people to encourage bad moods or
We can laugh and smile and spread humour and happines and help other people and charities and the more we do of this…… the more it lifts our spirits and rebounds onto us
I have been at both ends of the tunnel where as I was so low that I wanted out but! now I’m the happiest person in the world and full of energy happiness, life and enjoyment so give a priceless gift to someone today ( a nice big smile ) and feel the happiness flooding back into you on recieving the same

Morty, here’s a way I’ve been using to dissolve moods that I’ve pieced together from a few of your previous processes. After dissolving it you can construct a positive mood to replace the previous negative mood. This process seems to work for overall moods and moods about specific things or situations.

One caveat though, I suspect this way of dissolving moods will only really work well with individuals that truly get that events have no inherent meanings.

Steps:

1. What is my mood? -or- What mood am I in?

2. How do I know I’m in that mood? What evidence do I see or feel?

3. Did I ever really see that I had that mood or was in that mood? What does that look like? Does it really have a shape, color, or location like how a physical object has them? Does that evidence have to mean that I’m truly having that type of mood?

[Note: If you having trouble going right from #2 to #3, try to work in some alternative interpretations for your evidence. That evidence could have just as easily represented some other specific negative type of mood than the label you gave it.]

Now your negative mood should be dissolved. To put yourself in a positive one, try the following:

4. Choose a specific positive mood that you want.

5. Imagine supporting evidence that could naturally accompany that type of mood.

6. As you imagine yourself experiencing all that new evidence, ask yourself what type of mood you would have or be in if this evidence was happening?

Just read through the new replies and I’ve discovered a treasure trove of thoughtful responses. Like Dr. Vetter, I use the the tools of the LOP to change my moods. This esp. works when I first wake up in the morning. I also like the discussion about imbalances and the different ways of balancing our feelings. Renee, I am intrigued by your experiment and how you used it to “bring you back to the present moment”. Vanessa, your take on the energies is interesting as well since we do live in a Universe of energy and it makes sense that we balance mind, body, and spirit. Tiffany, I, too, believe that our moods can be traced back to beliefs and once they are gone, they are not influencing us to be in a “bad” mood or “good” mood. I look forward to more offerings.
Love and Light to all on the Journey,
Lauren

Evolution of mood… The question I’m looking to answer next is – is there a process that could be built out of this?

I’m noticing that, like a lot of other people are expressing, my mood is significantly impacted by the current state of my physical body. I started the day out yesterday in a “bad mood” – I was physically tired. Because of the physical tired, I noticed I then didn’t feel capable of handling the challenges I had set for myself for the day. I also remembers that when I’m in a “good” mood, I feel that I can tackle anything that comes my way. So, does it all start with the state of your body? That’s the tentative hypothesis for me.

Because Morty’s post was floating around in the back of my mind all day, I decided to try an experiment. Normally I would try to just keep pushing through my day and attempt to accomplish the things I’d set out to do even though I in no way felt up to the tasksat hand. Instead, I stopped and decided to do something that required nothing of me, no pressure to do or accomplish, to wait out my mood. I went and climbed into my hot tub, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY (on no, bad girl, not working, striving, accomplishing, heavens no!!) and just sat with me and my mood with no expectations of it or me.

Slowly, I started hearing the birds singing, noticed that patterns in the tree branches, enjoyed how pretty and tidy the shed my husband had just fixed looked, etc, etc. I let the dog out and watched him play while I just sat there, being. And an amazing thing happened, my mood bubbled up.

I went in the house and slowly and deliberately got cleaned up, slowly and deliberately went to the grocery store – started feeling even better b/c I was being in the present moment more and more.

Then I fed the growing mood. I put on music that I knew would help me feel happier. And finally I was feeling like I could tackle anything at all in the world. I was actually on top of the world feeling – I had gone from a to a 10.5 mood wise. My normal set point would be around a 7, just for comparison.

In the past, I’ve also noticed that I can get my mood to shift by slowing down and really attending very deliberately and intentionally to the one thing that I’ve CHOSEN to do in that moment.

I can also get it to shift by tapping into ideas that I know tickle me – if I think about times and places or ideas that have always stirred my imagination and play with those thoughts softly, I can start to shift.

What if, like NLP, an individual could create a particular sequenced script that works for them that moves them along the scale from negative to positive mood. Along with a diagnostic – eg if you didn’t get enough sleep, the “prescription” is to take a short nap or get to be earlier, whatever works best for that person. Just to bring those types of issues to the forefront of the mind so that you become aware of what you already know to do in a lot of cases. But then an individual process that helps you to move from negative to positive mood.

As I write this, I realize I did a very similar set of steps this past summer that took me from a flat mood to near euphoria.

Morty, thank you so much for throwing this question out there – it’s been rolling around in my thoughts ever since the occuring course.

I like your mind, body, spirit perspective!

1. Mood is the embodiment of a field of energy that rests along a continuum from healthy to toxic. It colors how one percieves life in the moment. Moods are in a constant state of flux. Uninterrupted, the mood can go from bad to worse or from good to better or any combination of the above. Unresolved life experiences that were emotionally disturbing can keep one tipped toward the unhealthy mood side of the continuum. Fortuante for most, moods are maliable. Blessed is the person who is aware of this.

2. Balancing out our brain chemistry helps alot. I am not talking about taking mood altering drugs. I am talking about doing things like getting enough hugs in a day to keep your brain bathed in happy hormones or eating in such a manner that your blood sugar levels stay even (I am so much friendlier after a good meal) or taking time to play (play tells the brain that you are safe and less of the nasty stress hormones get released). I guess managing moods has to do with knowing what works for you personally and staying aware of the stress generating factors that often fly under the radar that can throw one out of kilter.

3. If moods are a comalgamation of several emotions and emotions are messages transmitted through the body (sensations) in order to insure our survival, it may be profitable to center one’s awareness on the mood and invite each emotion to identify itself without applying judgement as one might do in practicing mindfulness. I believe the act of respectfully listening and discerning the message cloaked in the emotion allows the emotion to serve its purpose. Once served, the emotion can disapate. The mood is then freed to move toward the healthier, less distressful side of the continuum. This is best achieved in the context of a supportive relationship. Being the social animals we are, from the point of birth we are very dependent on one another for mutual regulation. For example we replicate the attachment relationship we had with our primary care giver with our intimate life partner.

Thanks for the questions. It was fun answering. I am wondering what type of program you have developed to clear unhelpful moods!

I read the majority of the posts and I think everyone has great comments regarding the questions.

I feel that our moods are controlled the same way everything else in our life is… by the powerful tool we posses between our ears. A mood may be considered as an extended emotion. Emotions are controlled by our thoughts. I went through a depressing time in my life and I came to realize that everything thing I felt was a by product of my thoughs… Such as my moods, emotions, etc. I personally believe that if we have control of our thoughts, we control our moods and emotions. Do not allow your negative thoughts the have control, dismiss them as soon as they enter your head and you will forever be in a positive state of mind. Therefore affecting you mood and emotions.

I find that when my mood is slipping downhill there is a problem to resolve. To me, its similar to pain that signals the physical body to make a change (move your finger away from the heat source). A bad mood that won’t lift off means there is something unresolved that I need to change. As soon as I identify the heat source, I make the change and the bad mood immediately disappears. In fact, I usually enjoy a high, great mood for a while after I make the change needed. I think that if you stay awake and alert, moods allow you to make healthy adaptations in your relationships before things get too out of whack. That’s how I make them work for me.

moods are like general assessments we make about ourselves. We operate like a car mechanic that believes certain car parts are made better then others and use those parts to maintain or rebuild our engine. We all think we know what we are doing but when the car does not work properly we create a “mood ” until we get it fixed.

I think it comes down to control. When we lose or gain our sense of control, whether it’s physical or mental, we create a general assessment about our self called a mood

I have solved the problem of my moods in a hilariously funny way. About a year ago I decided to play. I chose to assign each day to one chakra, starting with the first chakra on Monday. Tuesday belongs to second chakra and so on, finishing on Sunday with seventh chakra. As each chakra is responsible for certain part of our personality, it automatically affects the mood for that day. Add the respective colors for each chakra and it becomes a ritual. So, every morning I choose my clothes and my moods come with it. It`s enormous fun, and it is very effective.

What are moods, well! When someone upsets you or says something that annoys you it is a state of mind that does two things 1 annoys you 2puts you in a huff or state of anger and these moods can be in addition to depression or sulking
When things start going wrong in the day such as missing the bus or spilling tea then this also adds to moods through a state of anger also going to work can set off an unhappy mood
But hey! When the sun is shining and your walking in the park looking at the beautiful flowers or you going on holiday and looking forward to an exciting time or your having a party wow! The good feel factor sets in and your in a good or happy mood

So moods are a state of mind that can be influenced by either bodily functions (Pain or depression)
Or other people (saying something or hurting your feelings)
Or by outside influences (Good being happiness, enjoyment, security, nature sun sunsets etc) or bad ( late for work, spilling tea, tripping up, traffic problems etc)
But because moods are a state of mind then they can be controlled and changed by ones way of thinking and other peoples influences
An example to this would be ( had a rotten day and everything gone wrong = bad mood )
Your family greet you with love kisses and laughter= good mood
Two sum up ….. It only takes one situation in a day to set you off in a bad mood so forget it and enjoy the rest of your day
Being the happiest man in the world, I’m always in a good and happy mood

I haven’t read all the comments already made so I’ll just plunge in with my own, spur of the moment thoughts.

I feel that, for me, moods are mostly physical in nature but are expressed emotionally. Blood sugar fluxuations is a big one for me and others, even when they don’t realize they may be prone to it. They might not be diabetic or diagnosed as hypoglycemic, but blood sugar fluxuations can still greatly affect anyone. A severe blood sugar drop while on the freeway in traffic can lead to the anxiety many people feel as this low is in play. But the person can interpret this as a fear response to traffic and soon start experiencing panic attacks anytime they drive under those conditions. For others, a milder blood sugar drop can make them feel anxious, a little angry or out of sorts or “moody” and because we tend to eat the same way most of the time, they may feel this “moodiness” frequently.

Also, guys may not feel it but many women sure do know how hormone fluxuations affect their mood on a daily basis. The feeling that you may burst into tears at any moment when inside you are arguing, “What is your probelem? Everything is good today!” has happened over and over to us. This “mood” can really have the staying power and color everything in our life for days or longer.

Another big one for me can be tiredness, over or under activity, low physical resources such as vitamins and nutrients and just a feeling of “I feel off today”. I found I have an autoimmune disease but for many years this feeling was a “mood” I couldn’t describe or find an answer for.

SAD is another “mood” that would happen in the winter with not enough sun or Vit. D. I solved that one but no amount of reasoning, positive thinking or extra rest could replace the sunshine my “mood” needed.

On the other hand, a “mood” caused by a sadness that day or real problem in my life, generally can be helped for me personally with some extra rest, TLC, feeding my brain with brighter thoughts and solutions and “eye food”. “Eye food” appeals to the artistic in me and is usually artwork or photos with vivid colors or working with flowers and animals. Helping others also can lift this kind of mood for me.

I guess what I’m saying is that, for me, a “mood” under your definition has a physical basis for it. A mental sadness or depression can be lifted and lightened but the “mood” is a symptom of an underlying physical problem for me.

@man: Emotions do not have to be strong, you can feel the same emotion in a mild or a super strong way: You can like something or someone in a mild way or you could be in love so much with this thing or person you feel you can not live without it.

You can “fear” talking to someone, you can piss or sh*t yourself for talking to someone that holds a gun and you know they he kill you. Same emotion here too, different degrees.

Some people moods hold a strong emotion(he who lives with a depressed person knows), some kids are really happy by default.

1. I see moods as the cruising speed modes for emotions, the default emotion modes your mind could sustain in a continuous way for long. The same way anybody can run a little but not so many people could run a marathon because you need your body to get used to it, your blood vessels, your lymph, your heart and lungs to adapt, your brain is programmed by the neurotransmitter levels they are used to, too much or too less makes the body to react.

For me when you go from “good mood” to “bad mood” fast you are changing between one default emotion state to another, but they are default, the “good mood” of today is very similar to yesterday’s.

I have changed moods in my life a lot by interesting myself in psychology and making continuous conscious effort and work to change. I only notice when I met someone I’d known for a long time, and he notices I have changed, but I see the same person.

I can “get depress” today because something bad happened(no sun light, bad job, bad relationship…), but it takes years of “get depressed” days to create a depression, and years(or at least months) to go out of this “mood”.

2.a Continuous effort or the path of least resistance?
2.b habit?

3.Are they “positive” or “negative” moods or emotions. If they exist they are because they are useful and positive in some degree or another.

I think moods are different aspects we have in ourselves and the one that wants priority comes out now and again. We have many aspects to us and in us and maybe they get out of balance sometimes although I don’t know what sets a mood off as it can be confusing to other people and also the person in the mood.

Q1: A: To me a mood occurs as a consequence of one’s outlook regarding the weeks or months ahead. The general tone is set for expectations. If facing jail time one is likely in a bad mood. An obsessive thought line will bring on a mood because it is an interim belief. It’s held tentatively. Moods can be brought on by biochemical changes in the brain from physical things. Emotions are like color is to a painting and the mood is the background or general theme color. Emotions as we think of them are the foreground of a picture. The contrasting objects. A depressed persons picture would be a deep blue background with dark black objects and splashes of red. Not a pretty picture. I have painted a picture of a picture here with words as an example of what I feel emotions and moods are to me. 10k words in two paragraphs. That was fun. : )

I would like to put forward the idea that moods are manipulative tools we use to try to effect someone else’s behaviour. Instead of asking for something or stating how we feel, we take on a ‘mood’ which we hope will make someone change how they respond to us or behave. Basically it is being too immature to ask directly for what we want. When we are alone we don’t have moods. Would this sound feasible?