Dietary advice for mood swings

my son was on meth for a while has been off for over a year now however, he sometimes gets depressed and angry. Wondering if there is a diet that could help with these mood swings.
(16 May 2007)

One of the biggest concerns amongst parents today is - how to enable the child to make the right choices for their mental health and physical health while unsupervised? The fact that teenagers are easily coaxed into taking substances that could, for a fleeting moment, allow them to experience some kind of nirvana, while completely destroying their basic anatomy over the long run makes grooming a child for the battles of life increasingly hard. Since you mention that your son has been off the drug for about a year now, chances are that any withdrawal symptoms that he faced should have been long gone by now.

However, both symptoms you speak of – the mood swings as well as nature of violence are very common during the phases of withdrawal. You must also consider that all children, whether abusing a substance or not, are likely to go through phases of rebelliousness or mood swings and it does not necessarily have to pertain to your sons indulgence of meth.

The reason for most of the unrest that a teenager feels can be largely attributed to basic physiology. New research has discovered that the brain will continue to grow and develop through adolescence at a speed much higher than originally thought. The older school of thought was that, since the brain reaches about 90% to 100% of its full size by the age of 6, this also meant a stop in the development of the brain. However, recent research shows that the teenage brain also continues to significantly develop and results in a thickening of the grey matter on the outer part of the brain. When the body starts to produce sex hormones, the physical changes experienced by the teenager will cause the individual to feel strange, uncomfortable as well as confused. Moreover, it is essential to remember that a teenager is, as of yet, unable deal with the frustration, pressure and other anxieties of life, which could also have been the real reason that led to the addition of meth in the first place. This may cause them to react seemingly aggressively.

Most of the time, the most effective way to break the seemingly hard outer shell that the teen develops as a defense mechanism, is to be supportive and comforting. Talking and understanding the underlying problem, whether it is emotional or physiological, will help you understand the best course of action. Encourage your child to get a significant amount of exercise as it will help in the release of endorphins into the blood stream which will help considerably in the control of mood swings.

answered by G M on 3 Mar 2010, 1:27:34

Mood swings and depression are directly correlated to the food we eat. A balanced diet helps in managing depression. Serotonin, a neurotransmitter, which aids in calmness, changes based on the dietary intake. Balanced moods calls for a regular, rhythmic and balanced diet. Green leafy vegetables and peas help in serotonin production. Canola oil, rich in vitamin E is adviced. B6 sources, such as chicken and turkey help in serotonin production. Dehydration is an effective contributor to mood swings. Drinking 8-10 glasses of water per day proves useful. Alcohol (depressant) and caffeine (stimulant) intake should be restricted, as they are diuretics contributing to dehydration. Pulses, whole wheat, fruits, vegetables and legumes should be included in the diet.

answered by r k on 22 May 2007, 7:23:34

Dietary advice for mood swings

my son was on meth for a while has been off for over a year now however, he sometimes gets depressed and angry. Wondering if there is a diet that could help with these mood swings. (16 May 2007)

my son was on meth for a while has been off for over a year now however, he sometimes gets depressed and angry. Wondering if there is a diet that could help with these mood swings.
(16 May 2007)