Mood swings

'A changeable mood' is, in the herbals, a description of a day, not a diagnosis: heavy in the morning, irritable in the afternoon, tearful in the evening. The tradition answers with routine — a warm infusion at the same hour, a scent tied to one place, work for the hands.

The catalogue lists seven Central European classics under this topic: German chamomile, English lavender, small-leaved lime, lemon balm, rosemary, common sage and St John's wort. It is the same set you will find under trauma, and six of the seven under sadness too — folk tradition did not distinguish between those three states as finely as today's language does.

Mood swings during the day are normal and have more to do with sleep, food, light and movement than with anything that can be drunk. What is documented is precisely these dull things: regular sleep, daylight, movement outdoors.

St John's wort is the only one of the seven with clinical trials — for mild depression, not for 'swings'. It is also the herb with the most documented interactions: it lowers the effect of antidepressants, hormonal contraception, blood thinners and immunosuppressants. The detail is on its card; here it is enough to know that it is not a herb 'to try'.

Several days without any need for sleep, racing thoughts, spending and plans that surprise even you, and then a crash — that is a picture that belongs with a psychiatrist, not a herb. Bipolar disorder is often overlooked for years precisely because a person feels good 'up there'.

If the mood does not rise above grey for two weeks, or thoughts appear that it would be better not to be here, call a crisis line or see your GP. And if you take psychiatric medication, add no herb to it without asking a doctor or pharmacist.