Everyone from time to time wants to say the phrase “How everything infuriates me!” And this is not surprising, because life consists not only of positive events.
Everyone is familiar with the feeling of anger - it is a normal human emotion, which has its advantages. A flash of negativity allows you to throw out negative energy, can provide motivation and stimulate activity. But sometimes everything infuriates you to such an extent that your emotional state gets out of control: problems begin in personal relationships, work and other areas of life. In this case, anger becomes destructive and requires correction.
Anger is a negatively colored emotional state of varying intensity: from moderate irritation to strong rage. This reaction affects not only mood and behavior, but also the physiological indicators of the body. When a person is enraged by everything around him for too long or too much, the following physical changes appear:
- Increased activity of the limbic system, and then the adrenal glands and cerebral cortex, which leads to intense release of the corresponding hormones
- Hyperemia (redness) of the skin due to increased blood circulation
- Increased heart rate and breathing
- Increased blood pressure levels
- Muscle tension
- Increased sweating
- Scattered and narrowed attention
The patient may notice that his emotional background is not in order, because this interferes with a normal life. Usually a person says something like “I feel bad and therefore I can’t control myself,” but does not perceive this as a pathological condition with serious consequences.
If you are regularly irritated by everything, be prepared for the fact that this will negatively affect your health, because the listed symptoms keep the body under great stress. If they occur too often, this can lead to disruption of the adaptation mechanisms of the psyche and the body as a whole.
Uncontrolled attempts to suppress anger are also dangerous. Suppressed external aggression develops into auto-aggression, that is, it is directed inward. This can lead to pathological consequences in the form of the development of passive-aggressive behavior, neuroses, psychosomatic disorders and various addictions. There is an impact on different systems of the body, such as cardiovascular, immune, digestive and nervous. This leads to an increased risk of developing hypertension and stroke, exacerbation of stomach and intestinal ulcers, and reduces immunity.
If you feel that your environment irritates you too often, then try to identify the reason and deal with it. Otherwise, it can cause significant harm to your physical and mental health.
Causes of irritability
Irritability occurs as a result of a combination of physiological, psychological and situational factors. It can manifest itself during certain periods of life - during stress, illness, increased workload - or be a feature of a person’s character. The causes of irritability are divided into three groups: physiological characteristics, psychological factors and various diseases.
Physiological reasons
Sudden reactions of anger and indignation often have a physiological basis - increased readiness of the nervous system, release of catecholamines and hormones, lack of compounds that ensure balanced self-regulation. This group of reasons includes:
- Temperament.
Temperament traits are based on the functioning of the central nervous system. People with a mobile and unstable type of nervous organization - choleric and melancholic - are prone to irritability. - Changes in hormonal levels.
Hormonal imbalance is a lack of some hormones and an excess of others. It affects the functioning of the brain, in particular the functioning of the centers responsible for the manifestation of emotions. Therefore, irritability is common in women during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. - Fatigue.
As fatigue accumulates, the ratio of excitation and inhibition processes in the nervous system changes, and the body's reactivity increases. A person’s ability to correctly evaluate incoming information and choose an adequate response deteriorates. The causes of irritability in such cases are everyday problems, communication with other people. - Lack of sleep.
With inadequate sleep, the level of cortisol, the stress hormone, increases in the body. At the physiological level, the body becomes ready to fight - adrenaline is produced, glucose consumption increases, irritability and aggressiveness increase. - Vitamin deficiency.
Hypovitaminosis and a lack of certain microelements negatively affect the functioning of the nervous and endocrine systems, causing mood changes, lethargy, apathy, irritability, and nervousness. Often these symptoms are triggered by a deficiency of B vitamins, iodine, zinc and magnesium. - Lack or excess of physical activity.
Irritability and emotional imbalance can occur due to a sedentary lifestyle or when performing intense physical activity that does not correspond to the person’s level of training. In both cases, there is an imbalance in the processes of inhibition and excitation of the central nervous system.
Psychological reasons
Irritation is partly due to the characteristics of the human psyche, the ways in which he reacts to internal experiences and external events. Those most prone to increased irritability are those with unstable self-esteem, anxiety, and a low level of responsibility. The following factors can provoke increased irritability:
- Stress.
Daily mental stress, negative emotional experiences, and conflicts lead to the development of a stressful state. It is characterized by the mobilization of all body systems and the readiness to fight back against adverse influences. Increased irritability ensures a quick response to the slightest threat. - Frustration.
With frustration, a person experiences a strong desire to take action to satisfy a need, but cannot carry it out - he encounters an obstacle, does not have enough resources (knowledge, time, money). As a result, he experiences disappointment, dissatisfaction, and irritation. - Neuropsychic exhaustion.
A common cause of irritability is high emotional and intellectual stress, prolonged stress, which provokes a state of nervous exhaustion. At the same time, a person’s ability to work fully, communicate with people and relax is reduced. Instead, a feeling of hopelessness, irritability, and despondency grows. - Wrong upbringing.
In some families, parents regularly show outbursts of irritation when communicating with each other and with their children. Gradually, the child adopts this way of responding to any unpleasant events. In adolescence and youth, irritability is consolidated and becomes a character trait. - Dissatisfaction.
The inconsistency of any area of life with the desired level is the cause of dissatisfaction, and as a result - irritability. Often people are not satisfied with their financial situation, conditions and content of work, and family relationships.
Mental and somatic illnesses
Irritability can be a symptom of mental disorders and somatic diseases. In case of mental disorders, the cause of irritability is the patient’s altered state of mind: emotional instability, decreased self-control, and inability to adequately assess current events are observed. In somatic diseases, there are two mechanisms that provoke irritability: primary – damage to the central nervous system or changes in the functioning of endocrine organs; secondary – long-term or severe course of the disease, worsening the quality of life. The most common reasons are:
- Neurotic disorders.
In neuroses, irritability is considered one of the leading symptoms; it is potentiated by insomnia and nervous exhaustion. Combined with anxiety, decreased performance, and depressed mood. Most characteristic of neurasthenia, depression, obsessive-compulsive neurosis. - Personality disorders.
Psychopathy is a pathologically formed character with aggravated traits that interfere with social interaction. Patients with unstable, epileptoid and excitable type of disorder react to most situations too emotionally and impulsively: they conflict, get angry, and become irritated. - Schizophrenia.
In schizophrenia, irritability often manifests itself in the prodromal period and during remissions. It is stimulated by a decrease in the ability to clearly perceive what is happening, suspicion of others, and loss of a sense of self-identification (Who am I? What am I?). - Epilepsy.
In patients with epilepsy, the functioning of the brain changes, often affecting their character and behavior. A typical symptom of the disease is dysphoria - an emotional disturbance that is a combination of sadness, anger, anxiety and extreme irritability. - Organic lesions of the central nervous system.
Demyelinating pathologies, neurodegenerative and vascular diseases, brain tumors, traumatic brain injuries, and intoxications constitute a group of organic neurological pathologies. In all cases, dystrophic changes in the nervous tissue occur and the functioning of neurons is disrupted. Often pathological processes cover areas of the brain responsible for emotions and behavior, as a result a person becomes irritable, impulsive, and whiny. - Endocrine pathologies.
Hormonal diseases are accompanied by a violation of the humoral regulation of emotions. Depending on the nature of the hormone imbalance, the patient’s mood and behavior changes. Common causes of irritability are hyperthyroidism, diabetes mellitus, and Cushing's disease. - Alcoholism and drug addiction.
In alcohol and drug addiction, irritability is caused, on the one hand, by intoxication - organic brain damage, on the other - by withdrawal syndrome, frustration of the need for the next intake of alcohol or drugs. Other symptoms are anxiety, wariness, unmotivated hatred of people. - Long-term serious illnesses.
A long-term disease that limits a person’s activity, accompanied by pain, becomes a provoking factor of emotional disorders. Patients experience depression, despondency, melancholy, followed by periods of irritability and anger.
What to do if everything infuriates and irritates a teenager
It is necessary to find out what provoked the attacks of irritability. If they are caused by an uncontrollable reaction of a child, then these outbursts pose a threat not only to the teenager, but also to others. There is no such person who would not be annoyed by something in this life. But some people manage to control their condition, while others find it difficult to do so, and teenagers are especially susceptible to attacks of aggressiveness. At the age of 11, hormonal changes begin. The active surge of hormones stabilizes after a few years, but for now the teenager has a hard time coping with his irritability.
If you leave everything as it is and do not help the teenager resist these attacks, then this will negatively affect the attitude of society towards the child. Despite signs of maturation, teenagers remain sensitive children at heart. An endocrinologist will help pacify hormones; for this, the child should be convinced to attend his consultation.
Tips for a teenager:
– make a promise to yourself every day not to conflict;
– when you feel an attack of aggression, you should take deep breaths up to five times;
– count slowly to 10;
– mentally imagine the consequences of aggressive behavior;
– in a moment of uncontrollable aggression, crumple and tear paper;
– hitting a pillow or punching bag;
- stomp;
– write on paper the words you want to say, crumple them up and then throw away the paper;
– rub plasticine into cardboard or paper;
– keep yourself busy with sports games, running;
– take a warm bath before going to bed;
– sign up for yoga, master meditation;
– praise yourself if the day went smoothly.
Diagnostics
Diagnosis of irritability is carried out by psychiatrists, psychotherapists, and psychologists. As a rule, identifying this problem is not difficult - patients or their relatives report changes in behavior, communication difficulties, and increased conflict. To collect complete information about the emotional state, the following methods are used:
- Conversation.
During the interview, the doctor clarifies when the outbursts of irritability began, what situations cause them, how they affect the patient’s life, and whether the irritability has causes that are not related to psychological characteristics (somatic illnesses). More often, patients are critical of changing their emotions and are willing to talk about problems. - Observation.
During communication, the specialist notes external signs of irritability: changes in voice timbre, acceleration of speech, restlessness, fussiness, abruptness of movements. This condition can be caused by waiting for an appointment, questions from the doctor, or the surrounding environment. - Psychodiagnostic questionnaires.
Tests are used to study emotional and personal qualities. The level of irritability is assessed using the Bass-Darkey questionnaire, Cattell personality questionnaire, MMPI and other methods. - Projective tests.
If irritability is denied, the patient is asked to perform projective tasks that help identify hidden or unconscious personality traits. To diagnose irritability, the Wagner hand test, the Rosenzweig frustration test, and a drawing of a non-existent animal are used.
Comprehensive psychodiagnostics allows you to determine the causes of irritability
general characteristics
Crying is a psychophysiological reaction that is accompanied by the release of tears, a sharp change in the rhythm of breathing, blood pressure and heartbeat, and involuntary contraction of the superciliary and periocular muscles.
In origin, it is a strong one-time mental experience that occurs in response to intense negative or positive stimuli. From a social point of view, crying is a way of expressing strong emotions. In childhood, physical pain is a common cause of tears. As you get older, this reaction weakens, but can persist in women with increased emotional lability. The term “tearfulness” refers to a character trait or temporary feature of the emotional-volitional sphere. It manifests itself as emotional imbalance, tearfulness: a person cries every day, the tears are caused by random memories, a tense conversation, the unpleasant intonation of the interlocutor, a scene from a movie. Often, tearfulness reduces social activity, interferes with maintaining close relationships, and provokes irritability and misunderstanding on the part of others.
Tearfulness is more common in women and children than in men. This is explained by biological reasons: women have more pronounced hormonal fluctuations (pregnancy, childbirth, menstrual cycle), children have a labile nervous system, so they easily become agitated even to minor stimuli. The cultural factor also influences increased tearfulness in women compared to men. Sensitivity and tearfulness are recognized as feminine traits, while men's tears are seen as a demonstration of weakness.
Treatment
Group behavioral psychotherapy
The main goal of group trainings is to change the patient’s behavior, get rid of feelings of dissatisfaction, and teach constructive ways of expressing grievances, claims, and comments. During classes, participants recreate conflict situations, try to use techniques for switching emotions, and take the position of an interlocutor. After the main training, there is a collective discussion of experiences, including irritation.
Individual consultations with a psychotherapist
In addition to behavioral methods, sessions are conducted aimed at mastering relaxation and distraction skills. The psychotherapist discusses with the patient possible causes of irritability - stress, nervous exhaustion, problems in family life and at work. Of the practical skills that help relieve tension, the most effective are breathing techniques and auto-training.
Exercises after an attack
After we have lost our temper and yelled at our household members, a feeling of guilt and an unpleasant aftertaste arises. Thoughts appear: “Why did I get so angry over a little thing?” To calm down, you need to get down to business.
Also, be sure to ask the person for forgiveness if you have taken it out on him. Explain your feelings, that you are tired or upset, and then engage with your thoughts.
Cleaning
A great way to get rid of anxiety and irritation is to organize the space around you. I like to sort through the contents of my desk cabinets, fold my clothes, and clean my bathroom.
By putting order in space, we put order in our thoughts, so this is a good way to understand ourselves.
You can also arrange books by author's name, color or thickness, and iron things. In general, any household chores will do. But this is good only for those who like to arrange their home.
Sports activities
Switching from emotional to physical stress is beneficial for our nervous system. A walk will lift your spirits, and a set of exercises will also improve your figure. After training, you will feel light in your body, you will be proud of yourself for doing something useful, and the irritation will go away.
Sports release the hormone endorphin in the body. If there is a lot of it, then irritation does not occur at all.
Yoga is also a great help, as it combines exercise and breathing practices. You can study at home using a YouTube video or join a group where you can also communicate with new people, which will charge you with positivity.
Drawing
Any creative process fills us with energy, so it is very useful to draw after an attack of irritation. After all, anger takes away our vitality. You can imagine what this emotion looks like, what size and color it is, and draw it on a piece of paper. Coloring books, painting by numbers and drawing simple patterns are also suitable.
There is even a separate direction in psychology - art therapy, useful for solving a variety of emotional problems. So be sure to try this method to balance your condition.
Hormonal disbalance
There are dozens of reasons for hormonal imbalance, of which the most common are:
- diabetes;
- menopause;
- increased production of thyroid hormones – hyperthyroidism;
- premenstrual syndrome (PMS);
- polycystic ovary syndrome.
The above list reflects only the main reasons why hormonal levels may be disrupted. A more accurate diagnosis is made by a specialist; for example, the cause of the disorder is elementary vitamin deficiency.
What to do
If a woman begins to be irritated by everything before the onset of her period and everything returns to normal after its completion, then no extraordinary actions need to be taken. It’s enough to put a “tick” in your mind that PMS causes a similar reaction and reduce your physical and emotional stress as much as possible these days.
However, if the state of constant irritability does not go away for days, weeks or even months, then you need to consult a therapist. The specialist will conduct the necessary examination, prescribe tests, and based on their results, make a redirect to a more specialized specialist. This applies not only to women, but also to men; we have given the female situation as an example; however, hormonal imbalances are not gender specific.
Mental disorder
Irritability, which has signs of pathology, has certain psychological problems:
- bipolar disorder;
- depression;
- anxiety disorder;
- schizophrenia.
What to do
Psychological disorders also have other signs:
- isolation;
- character changes;
- mood swings;
- suspicion;
- loss of interest in activities that previously fascinated you;
- deterioration of memory and concentration.
If you observe the signs described above in your behavior, you should urgently consult a psychotherapist.
Survey
Determining the causes of tearfulness is carried out by specialists from various fields - psychiatrists, neurologists, endocrinologists. Primary diagnosis is carried out using clinical methods, including interviewing the patient and his relatives, as well as observing behavior. In most cases, patients are able to critically evaluate their experiences, so they independently report to the doctor about frequent crying, emotional sensitivity, mood swings and other symptoms. A conversation with relatives helps to clarify the duration of the symptom and its causes. To establish the etiology of tearfulness, the following is used:
- Study of the emotional sphere of personality.
Comprehensive psychodiagnostic testing allows us to determine the presence of depression, leading character traits and personality traits that are the basis of tearfulness. Various questionnaires (MMMPI, Cattell questionnaire) and projective techniques (color choice test, drawing of a person) are used. - Laboratory studies of hormones.
If a conversation with the patient does not reveal the psychological causes of tearfulness, but there are signs of an endocrine disease, a blood test is performed to determine the content of hormones. The concentration of hormones of the adrenal glands, thyroid, pancreas, parathyroid and/or gonads is examined. - Instrumental studies of the brain.
If the patient complains of emotional disturbances and there are signs of organic damage to the central nervous system, a neurological examination, CT and MRI of the brain, ultrasound of cerebral vessels and other diagnostic procedures are performed. The results make it possible to determine pathological changes in cerebral structures and tissues.
You are trying to give up cigarettes, coffee or alcohol
When you try to say goodbye to a particular habit to which you have already developed an addiction, withdrawal syndrome occurs (also known as abstinence, or withdrawal). The brain became accustomed to the effects of psychoactive substances that came with nicotine, alcohol, coffee, and drugs. And it takes time for it to start working without regular outside help.
Withdrawal symptoms include depressed mood, sleep problems, anxiety, and irritability.
What to do
Wait. When your body is rebuilt, that is, the dependence on the bad habit is overcome, you will regain peace of mind.
You don't get enough sunshine
If irritability occurs in late autumn or winter, when daylight hours become shorter, we may be talking about so-called seasonal affective disorder (SAD). This is a type of depression, the development of which scientists associate Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) / Mayo Clinic with a lack of sunlight.
Ultraviolet radiation affects the body's ability to produce hormones important for mood - serotonin and melatonin. In addition, a lack of sunshine disrupts the internal biological clock. A person constantly feels depressed, sleep-deprived, and chronic irritability is only a consequence of these problems.
What to do
One of the best options is to take a vacation and move somewhere to sunnier climes. Preferably with a loved one in an embrace. If this is not possible, try to be outdoors as often as possible during daylight hours, and use bright light close to natural indoors. Well, don’t plan labor feats at work during the “dark” period of the year: they require effort, and your nervous system is already exhausted.
Let’s clarify right away: the recommendations above apply only to mild cases of SAD. Seasonal affective disorder is still a full-fledged depression, and sometimes it can only be corrected by taking antidepressants and psychotherapy.
Therefore, if you suspect that a lack of sunlight is hiding behind your irritability and depression, consult a therapist or psychotherapist.
"Sweet life"
Strange as it may sound, sugar is a type of drug that is addictive with all the ensuing consequences. It has a stimulating effect on the parts of the brain responsible for feelings of joy and pleasure. Regular consumption of sweets in large quantities accustoms the brain to stimulation, and it loses its sensitivity. As a result, to get the next dose of joy we have to increase the dose of sweets. To process increasing amounts of sugar, the body releases insulin into the blood, a hormone that activates the cells to extract glucose from it. There is an immediate drop in blood sugar levels.
Against this background, the body begins to increase the production of adrenaline, since a drop in sugar levels is regarded as a threat to life. In turn, adrenaline, being a stress hormone, pulls the trigger on the notorious “fight or flight” reaction, which we discussed above.
What to do
You need to calculate how much sugar you consume during the day. The concept of “a lot” is quite loose, since everyone’s body and its needs are individual, however, there are clinically proven average norms. According to the American Heart Association, acceptable limits are as follows:
- the average daily sugar intake for men is no more than 9 teaspoons (36 grams);
- The average daily sugar intake for women is no more than 6 teaspoons (24 grams).
The “Dietary Recommendations” developed by American experts show great humanity in this matter. Here, the restriction on sugar consumption is calculated as 10% of the daily caloric intake. If a person consumes 2 thousand kilocalories daily, then his permissible sugar intake is 200 kilocalories, which is approximately 50 grams.
When calculating the amount of sugar consumed, you need to take a closer look at foods that we usually don’t take into account. For example, a standard can of cola contains 10 teaspoons of sugar - that's about 40 grams. Even one jar of this drink goes beyond the acceptable limits established by American cardiologists. Try to experiment and reduce the usual amount of sweets - this is probably the cause of constant irritability.
Taking medications
When undergoing a course of treatment with certain medications, it is necessary to take into account the effect they have on our body. Especially if you violate the prescribed dosage. For example, thyroxine and prednisone. The first is responsible for the production of thyroid hormones, and the second is used in the treatment of asthma and allergies.
What to do
If you need to take a certain drug, you must carefully read the instructions. Find out the side effects this drug causes. Based on this, change medications that will not affect you in a negative sense.
Physical fatigue
The right ingredients for preparing a cocktail of bad mood and fatigue are constant physical activity and lack of time to restore the body. When receiving excessive stress, the body, as a protective reaction, begins to produce the hormone cortisol, also related to stress. In turn, this hormone causes a state of constant irritability.
What to do
First of all, you need to slow down a little, despite all the benefits of physical activity, moderation should be in everything. It is mandatory that once a week there must be a day off completely free from physical activities. Assess your condition and if you realize that irritability is caused by physical fatigue, you should think about a longer rest in the form of a vacation.
