Feeling annoyed by someone or by some events during the day is normal. We all experience that. However, if you're feeling annoyed or irritated by everyone and everything around you, it's a matter of concern that requires attention, as such behavior will drastically impact your social and mental health.
In this blog, we shed light on what irritability is, the causes of irritability, some common symptoms, and how you can deal with the same. You can go through the information, find what's making you annoyed, and deal with it effectively.
What is Irritability?
Irritability is nothing but your strong response to stimuli. When you are irritable, trivial actions that might not normally bother you can agitate or irritate you. As a result of this tension, you simply become more sensitive and responsive to stressful conditions.
What Causes Irritability?
There could be several reasons that make you irritable. In fact, the pandemic time has been all about anxiety, irritability, and depression. So, the first step toward resolution should be to identify the cause of your irritability.
Your irritability could be due to any physical or psychological cause. Chronic illness, drug withdrawal, chronic injury, etc., are examples of physical causes, whereas psychological causes include relationship conflicts, bipolar disorder, anxiety, insomnia, depression, and so on.
Besides, there could be a genetic cause too. Your family, for example, may have a history of depression or bipolar disorder. However, this is a rare case; research is ongoing to determine the genes or contributing factors.
What are the Symptoms Associated with Irritability?
Irritability is generally classified as a symptom of dysfunctional stimulation and reactivity. Your behavior reflects restlessness and impulsiveness. The following are the major symptoms that frequently accompany irritability:
- Sweating
- Anger
- Hypertension
- Tachypnea
- Discomfort
- Mood swings
- Stress
Other symptoms could be headache, fever, loss of interest, fatigue, etc. In chronic situations, especially when there's hormonal imbalance, you might also experience irregular menstruation and loss of sex drive.
5 Simple Ways to Feel Less Irritable
Here are some simple yet effective ways to feel less irritable:
Be Honest About Your Feelings
If every encounter with someone in your life irritates you, you must resolve the problem. Try to express your true feelings and be open about your moods and true emotions.
Identify The Triggers
You always know what's going on at the back of your head. Right? Yet you try to ignore and avoid accepting the actual triggers for your irritability. Just know your true needs and get rid of negative emotions.
Distract Yourself Or Do What You Love
Try to engage yourself in things or people that actually make you feel good. Healthy connections simply give you comfort and help you Stop feeling irritable.
Seek Help
If you already know the cause of your irritability, don't hesitate to seek help. As Dr. Miklowitz mentions, you can share the problem with your friends or family if that could give you space and comfort. After all, good relationships are supposed to ease difficult times.
Reduce Caffeine
Caffeine gives you a high at the moment but a crash later. This temporarily improves your mood but sooner or later leads to sadness. If you rely too heavily on alcohol or caffeine, try reducing your intake.
Take Proper Sleep
Lack of sleep can be the other possible cause of irritability. Follow a good schedule and get enough rest that your body demands. And if you follow a hectic schedule, try to spare 15-20 minutes for a nap.
Diagnosing the Cause of Irritability
You should try to find the cause of irritability on your own. However, if you're unable to do that, reach out to a professional. Also, share every detail, from minor to major, without hesitation. Furthermore, if you are having anxiety or communication difficulties, let your doctor know about it because there could be signs of mental trauma and depression that otherwise go unnoticed.
Besides, if you consume alcohol or you're a drug addict, you may need a de-addiction center or psychological assistance.
Based on your body's symptoms, your therapist/doctor may recommend additional tests for the proper evaluation. This way, you can get the right medical assistance for your irritability.
Treating the Cause of Irritability
Treatment of irritability is highly dependent on an accurate diagnosis. In other words, your doctor will first find the root cause and treat you accordingly.
If the cause is associated with mental trauma or depression, then you may need psychotherapy along with proper medication. The doctor may prescribe antidepressants to lighten your mood and reduce the symptoms of irritability.
And if the cause is associated with hormonal imbalance, you may need to go through some medical tests such as blood tests or urine tests. However, there might be a probability that your irritability is just a result of your poor lifestyle.
Additional Tips
Here are some to help you relieve irritability:
Eat Healthily
It's common to skip meals or switch to fast foods in busy schedules. However, such habits eventually make you irritable, disrupting your body's physiological functioning.
Once you realize the importance of good health and eating habits, you naturally make peace with your moods.
Physical Exercise
Exercise can do a lot in mood management. Physical workouts simply help you release stress and anxiety. Also, you can try meditation which has proven to be an excellent way of anger management.
However, these self-help approaches work well for normal cases of irritability. In severe cases, you must see a doctor without neglecting the signs and symptoms.
Final Thoughts
Managing emotions and moods, indeed, is never easy. But with the right approach, you can always deal with it. Self-help strategies can be a simple way out of a problem, especially if your condition isn't severe. You must sit back and consider the situation. Allow yourself some time alone to figure out what works best for you. However, if your irritability is chronic or you are having difficulty controlling it, you must seek medical attention.
