Instability is linked to the absence of stability.
The concept of instability refers to the absence of stability : the condition of stable. The adjective stable , in turn, refers to what does not change, remains in one place for a long period or maintains balance.
The idea of instability appears in multiple contexts. In the field of meteorology , the notion is linked to the vertical movements of convection in an air mass , a phenomenon that is accentuated if there is a lot of humidity in the air.
Atmospheric instability
When the atmosphere is unstable, the temperature of the rising air decreases more slowly than the temperature of the surrounding air that remains stationary. This causes air to rise very easily, generating regions of low pressure on the surface where the surrounding air converges.
Atmospheric instability , in short, is associated with the temperature difference that is registered between the rising air mass and the environment. It has nothing to do, therefore, with wind and precipitation.
In colloquial language and in the media, however, instability is usually referred to when it rains or the day is windy. If rain is forecast for the next three days, a news anchor can affirm that “instability will continue,” to cite one example.
Instability makes it difficult to maintain balance.
The term associated with emotions
Emotional instability , meanwhile, is linked to impulsivity and dichotomous and polarized thoughts . The person who suffers from this disorder shows a very variable mood in the short term without reasonable causes. Those who are emotionally unstable have low self-esteem, do not tolerate frustration and exaggerate their reactions.
The issue of emotional instability is much more complex and broad than it seems at first glance. People who have never suffered from this disorder often see it as a whim, as a negative personality trait. However, it is a true nightmare for those who suffer from it, since it is sealed in their essence and it is the only way they know how to live.
Characteristics of emotional instability
One of the worst characteristics of emotional instability is a lack of self- confidence . Although the subject can and usually hides it, it is this gap, this emptiness that inevitably leads him to lose his balance again and again, no matter what path he takes.
Contrary to what third parties may believe, emotional instability accompanies the patient all day and all night, both when he is accompanied and when he is alone. It torments him before and after each decision and leads him to consume a large amount of energy per day, much greater than normal.
Let's not forget that every time a person with emotional instability cancels a commitment at the last minute, there are two groups: those who receive this news and get angry because of the lack of notice; that of someone who is left alone and frustrated at home, regretful for having failed others and ashamed for having shown an apparently childish and capricious attitude.
Instability is very exhausting. It's like going up and down the stairs of a very tall building, over and over again using all our strength and in the shortest possible time. When this takes place early in the day, just before starting to study or work, it goes without saying that the subject's predisposition will be lower than that of his environment, simply because he will not have the same degree of energy to face his obligations .
It is important to note that emotional instability can appear as a symptom of certain broader problems, such as bipolarity and borderline personality disorder.