[MoxieDoll]

I'm really trying to get a handle on charting my mood-I'm severely ADHD which complicates things. I've got a couple iPad apps and also using Moodscope, but my mood changes drastically and rapidly day to day as well as during the day in reaction to events (conversations with family/friends, usually).

Moodscope says to chart first thing in the morning, since that records your baseline mood without any reaction to events, but I think that your mood changes during the day are equally, if not more, important than a baseline. Am I completely missing the boat on this?

As you can tell, I'm really very new at this, so any advice would be fantastic!

[FooZe]

Hi MoxieDoll, welcome to Psych Central!

I haven't done any mood-monitoring since I was in my teens so I'm no expert on the subject. It seems to me, though, that there'd be no such thing as a baseline mood without any reaction to events. How I feel first thing in the morning seems to depend a good deal on what kind of events I expect to be dealing with that day (and even more, on how well prepared I feel to deal with them).

I used to chart at the end of the day, so I actually knew what I mostly felt that day. I also included any stressors so that would help determine what effected the mood or if nothing did at all. I also charted my menstrual cycle along with it.

Charting is really good, especially if you are new to diagnosis. It really helps to see patterns and triggers. Also really helps with meds or med changes. I used to keep it on the side of my fridge so I would see it often and not forget. I have one on my phone but out of sight out of mind.

I only chart my mood when I'm about to make a decision or start/continue a conversation with someone. I don't think your mood when you're starring at the ceiling is all that important.

About to text a friend? Chart your mood.

About to delete a bunch of files on your computer? Chart your mood.

[BuggsBunny]

I did a pain/mood chart several years ago and found it helpful to just leave a large space open for the day. That way, I could add the time and a note/number anytime my pain or mood changed. (Back then, the only time my mood changed was when my pain went up.) I used to draw up my own form on the computer, it was easier to tailor it to my specific needs.

[SmokeyPoole2012]

I've been tracking my moods for more than a year and a half. In the begining I would make an entry in my journal whenever I felt a noteworthy episode had occured. Didn't do me much good. When I reviewed my entries I found way too many gaps, could remember the situation or why I was feeling the way I had, and most importantly still not understanding me and my moods.

I try to make it a point to track my moods everyday around bed time but I also find it to be helpfull to just spend time reviewing and reflecting on what I've tracked. Also it's not uncommon for me to make several entries on days when I'm really having a hard time.

For me tracking my moods is understanding me and understanding me is a full time activity.

[Nixi]

I'm only new to this so can't really give much advice but I'm tracking my moods at night so I can see how my mood's been through the day and track the lowest and highest

[Perna]

I don't know what you hope to achieve by charting? If your ADHD is not controlled, you won't be able to make any assumptions about what is causing what change in mood?

Here's the Massachusetts General Hospital's explanation what they hope for and their mood chart:

http://www.manicdepressive.org/moodchart.html

[MoxieDoll]

Perna- thanks for the link, it was really helpful. My ADHD is actually pretty well controlled with Adderal (I guess I didn't think to mention that), but I know that while it's essential for me to function, it also ramps up my anxiety. Since I'm not on any mood stabilizers right now, I'm hoping the charting will help me identify patterns and triggers so that I have something to show to the psych when I actually get in to see him next month.

SmokeyPoole- what do you use to track your moods? Is it a handwritten journal/chart type thing or something on the computer? I've tried an excel spreadsheet, a couple different websites and a couple different iPad apps, but nothing seems to be comfortable for me just yet.

thanks so much for everyone's advice

[faerie_moon_x]

I have some crazy rapid cycling and I would love an app or something that can chart moods and symptoms throughout the day. I've never found anything that works great for me yet. I want to be able to do this to get a handle on triggers and such. The one thing I do sometimes when I'm feeling really off kilter is I take the manic and depressed test here, and save the results (take them at the same time.) I answer the questions with "Right now I feel..." that kind of gives me an overall where I am....

[cocoabeans]

I started to do one with an app on my phone! The graph is fun watching it go up and down and I've been relatively stable all week? Who knew!

Problem, they're self reported, is it really accurate? I really just like the graph!

I do mine at the end of the day so I can take a look at the days events and judge. I take into consideration the events which called for an emotional reaction but, emotions are not moods. Someone at work did something to make me feel sad, doesn't mean I'm depressed. If a friend buys me a latte and I'm happy about that, that doesn't mean I'm manic even if I do decide to get all up and excited over it and talk for 15 minutes straight about god knows what. That's just me. I've had some of my best laughing fits while depressed so, I look for the overall picture with moods. Emotions tickle. Moods saw you in half.

Hi MoxieDoll, and welcome.
It sounds like your moods are more rapidly swinging than mine are in general. And more situationally influenced. Soooo, not sure if this will be helpful to your situation, but... I've charted since 2009 (haha, had to go look in The Folder to see) and wow, have they changed over time(!) The chart format, that is. What they chart is quite familiar. I briefly tried a pre-designed chart, but meh. Made my own. At first, it was just a mood rating graph and a space for notes. Several incarnations later, it's got graphs, color-coding and a lot more detail. Doesn't require a decoder ring though.

As for time of day, I do it at the end of the day. Can't imagine doing it in the morning. I'd have nothing to assess yet. The only baseline it would measure for me would be "morning=crap". Not a morning person. Besides, waaay too spaced out. And again, for myself, reactions to events aren't a big factor in my overall mood, sooo measuring a lesser factor as it deviates from an essentially nonfunctioning baseline... Uh?? Anyhow! Works for others. Like anything else, different formats will be pleasing to different people for different reasons. You will probably want to try more than one from those that look like they might suit you. As for remembering to do it, yes, put it somewhere you will see it. Despite my stunning lack of aptitude for routine, remembering, and sense of time, it's the one thing I almost never forget to do(!)

What is charted? On mine, it's: mood (graph), # hours slept, any sleep issues (color-coded), work (and shift), anxiety level, irritability level (had as numerics, now as graphs), meds and dosage (with a thick line to indicate changes), any alcohol and a small place for a general note if wanted. There is also a space by both anxiety and irritability for a note of any relevant specific event. Everyone who charts does it to see correlations and patterns, but one of the main other reasons I do it is that I have absolutely no sense of time. When did that dosage get increased? How long has a given state been going on? I would have no idea without a written record.

Originally Posted by cocoabeans

...I do mine at the end of the day so I can take a look at the days events and judge. I take into consideration the events which called for an emotional reaction but, emotions are not moods. Someone at work did something to make me feel sad, doesn't mean I'm depressed. ...so, I look for the overall picture with moods...

Yes.

[Butterflies Are Free]

I chart my mood at the end of the day - I print one out from the computer and add other things to it.