Is It a Mood or Emotion?

If you’re like most people, you often find yourself “in a mood” or feeling a strong emotion. While emotions usually have identifiable sources, the sources of moods are often unclear. Emotions tend to be brief while moods can be long lasting. Emotions have a variety of forms. Moods are more general (i.e.: good versus bad moods). Moods often influence emotions.

Researcher Marc Brackett has developed a “Mood Meter” to help clarify moods and emotions. He suggests that every mood has two primary dimensions: level of energy and degree of pleasantness. The graphic below depicts levels of energy from low to high on the y axis (vertical continuum) and degrees of pleasantness from unpleasant to pleasant on the x axis(horizontal continuum). 

Moods which are low in energy and low in pleasantnessgenerally feel sad or apathetic. Those high in energy but low in pleasantness often produce anger, frustration, or fear. Moods which are high in pleasantness but low in energy tend to produce contentment, serenity, and ease. High energy/high pleasantness moods produce feelings of joy, happiness, and exhilaration. The following graph can help you identify your moods and emotions:

Individuals who can identify their moods and emotions are more likely to regulate them.

Dr. Thomas Swisher is a licensed counselor. Reach him in confidence at 443-996-6659 or swishtom@gmail.com.