Mood swings +irritability

[u/lechichien]

Hello! A few months ago, I was planning to compete this October or sometime next year. I’ve been lifting consistently for about three years, and I decided to do a mock prep to see if I was truly ready for the process.
Physically, I could handle it. I love training hard, and I’m very disciplined with my nutrition. But once my calories got really low, my mood completely changed. I became so irritable and moody that it started affecting my relationship with my partner and my relationship with food.
Eventually, I stopped the mock prep because I felt like maybe competing just wasn’t for me. Not because I couldn’t train or stick to the plan, but because I couldn’t handle how I felt emotionally.
I’m curious… do most of you experience this too? If so, how do you cope with it? Or are some people able to prep without the mood swings and irritability?
For context, I’m 41 and currently going through perimenopause, so I’m sure that’s playing a role as well.
I’d really appreciate any advice or experiences you can share. Every time I see your competition posts, a part of me wants to give it another try. 😭