What Does it Mean to be Irritable?
Many people are calm, relaxed, and easy-going day to day. Although everyone experiences moments of irritation such as when someone cuts you off in traffic, others experience irritability in a more pervasive and overarching way. When people are regularly irritable, they are prone to getting frustrated, annoyed, impatient, and agitated. Typically, there is a lower frustration tolerance, and they are hotter tempered. Irritability also comes with feelings of negativity, feeling stressed out, tense, or even anger. This can be driven by a number of factors.
What Could be Causing My Irritability?
- Physical Causes: There are a great number of physical conditions and symptoms that can fuel irritability. Some causes are common to everyone like being sleep deprived or hungry which some people jokingly refer to as “hangry”. Some get irritable when their blood sugar levels drop which can cause adrenaline to release and create feelings of anxiety and agitation. Other times irritability can be a direct result of medical conditions like diabetes, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), or an overactive thyroid. Getting a regular physical and blood work can help keep some of these causes in check.
- Stress: Nearly everyone has felt overwhelmed at times by stress. Trying to handle unexpected stressors or situations not going according to our expectations can cause flare ups in irritability. Others are impacted by work stress, financial problems, or burnout; all of which can drive irritability. Not surprisingly, the more stressors you have on your plate, the more likely you are to be irritable.
- Mental Health: Many people with anxiety struggle with feeling out of control which can create irritation. Many men with depression experience agitation and irritability. These are actually very common manifestations of depression in men. Those with bipolar disorder are often irritable when experiencing manic phases. Those with PTSD can be triggered by past trauma and end up with irritability as a result of these triggers. People with addiction issues are often irritable when they are not able to get their “fix” or manipulate people into giving them what they want. Treating mental health issues properly can have a direct reduction in irritability.
Although everyone has moments of irritability, if you are irritable in a persisting and pervasive way you should get assessed to determine if there is a medical or mental health cause for it. If you are interested in getting evaluated to figure out why you are irritable, feel free to contact IPC so you can schedule an appointment with one of our therapists or psychiatrists. Please call us now at 763-416-4167, or request an appointment on our website: WWW.IPC-MN.COM so we can sit down with you and complete a thorough assessment and help you develop a plan of action that will work for you. Life is too short to be unhappy. Find the peace of mind you deserve.
To get more great resources, sign up for our newsletter, like us on Face Book, or follow us on Twitter.
Innovative Psychological Consultants
Peace of Mind You Deserve
Schedule An Appointment
"*" indicates required fields
