Irritability is a common emotion that everyone experiences at some point. While an annoying feeling, irritability can sometimes communicate things our body is trying to tell us. For example, it’s normal to feel irritable when you’re tired, hungry, or stressed. This is normal. If you start to find yourself feeling irritable for extended periods of time or find that you are becoming irritable more easily, it could be a sign of an underlying mental health issue.
Identifying a mental health issue can be difficult sometimes, and also a scary thing to confront. Mental health is like physical health. It requires check-ups, maintenance and self-care. If you’re feeling more irritable, it’s best to identify the issue and work towards improving it. Below we’ve laid out some possible reasons for your irritability to help you identify the cause of your feelings and how you can work towards healing yourself.
Depression
Depression is a mental health disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. It’s characterized by feeling down, a loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed, and a lack of energy. While these symptoms sound easy to identify, depression shows itself differently in every person. Some people may also be trying to hide their depression from everyone around them while others can experience outbursts of emotions.
Irritability is often overlooked as a symptom of depression. While normal anger usually disappears once the source is resolved, depression can often create lingering anger that stays just below the surface.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a mental health condition characterized by excessive worry, fear, or apprehension about everyday situations. Anxiety is a normal/natural response to situations that are unknown or uncertain. Sometimes the anxiety we experience can be disproportionate to the stimuli, triggering a fight or flight response.
Anxiety heightens our natural fight-or-flight response, making us more alert and aware of our surroundings. However, this heightened awareness can also cause feelings of irritability and frustration.
People often feel frustrated about the anxiety itself, manifesting in self-directed anger. Hyperstimulation often leads to heightened emotional responses of all kinds. This heightened state can make it difficult for someone to relax, leading to feelings of irritability and agitation.
It’s important to note that irritability is a common symptom of many anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder. Confronting your anxiety and moving forward at improving your mental health can help decrease these feelings of irritability and agitation.
Grief
Grief is a natural response when someone we care about dies, or when we experience other kinds of losses that are important to us (ie. relationships, jobs, abilities). It can cause feelings of sadness, anger, guilt, and loneliness. Sometimes when grieving, we lash out against someone that we see as a potential source of more pain. Anger often overpowers sadness as a dominant emotion, especially during times of heightened stress.
If you’re experiencing grief it’s common to find yourself feeling irritable. It’s essential to allow yourself to feel the full range of emotions that come with grieving. When you’re grieving it’s common to not know what to do or where to go next. Releasing your emotions is the first step to gaining that clarity. Everyone will grieve in their own way and at their own pace. It’s important to not rush this and to take care of yourself when going through the grieving process. While irritability may be unavoidable for those experiencing grief, it will decrease over time and as you navigate through the loss. If you’re struggling with grief or need an outlet to help you through the process, seek support from loved ones and consider seeking help from a grief counsellor to help develop healthy coping mechanisms. At Stone Silo we offer grief counselling services. Learn more by visiting our Mind Page.
Stress/Burnout
Stress is common in today’s fast-paced world. Stress often pushes a person to their breaking point, reducing their emotional regulation and causing an outburst of emotion. Stress can cause you to lose control of your anger. Stress-related anger is linked to higher odds of a stress-based heart attack.
If you’re experiencing stress or burnout, it’s essential to take steps to manage your stress levels. Practice self-care, take breaks when needed, and seek support from loved ones. Consider speaking to a mental health professional who can help you manage stress and prevent burnout. The more you put off self-care the worse your stress and burnout will continue, as will your irritability.
Not Taking Care of Your Physical Health
The mind and the body are connected and inseparable. Poor physical health can increase stress levels. Even minor health problems can overshadow other aspects of your life. If you’re not taking care of your physical health, you are more prone to feeling irritable.
Improving your physical health is easy but you must stay motivated and dedicated to caring for yourself. Doing simple everyday wellness activities and adopting healthy practices can help improve your physical health and in turn your mental health. These strategies and activities are simple and can be done in your everyday life.
What Can You Do?
There are several ways to help you manage irritability and mental illness. Start by making sure you’re getting enough sleep each night. Lack of sleep can exacerbate both mental illness and irritability. It’s also important to practice healthy coping mechanisms, such as journaling or talking to a trusted friend or therapist about your feelings. Make sure also to prioritize physical exercise. Mental and physical wellness are closely linked. Exercise has been shown to improve mood and reduce uncomfortable mental health symptoms. You can also practice mindfulness techniques, such as meditation, taking a warm bath, practicing yoga, or deep breathing, to help manage stress and increase feelings of calm. Eating a balanced, healthy diet, staying hydrated and limiting your caffeine and alcohol intake can also positively impact your mental health. Additionally, practicing good time-management skills, such as prioritizing tasks and taking breaks throughout the day, can help prevent burnout and reduce feelings of irritability. Finally, consider seeking support from loved ones or a mental health professional, who can help you develop coping mechanisms and provide additional resources for managing depression and irritability.
Everyone feels irritable from time to time. It’s very common for irritability to be a symptom of something bigger. By identifying where some of the discomforts are coming from and making efforts to change how you take care of yourself every day, you can make a huge improvement in your life. If you’re experiencing prolonged irritability, and need help taking control of your mental health, seek help from a mental health professional. They can help you identify the underlying cause of your irritability and develop a plan to manage it. At Stone Silo, we are dedicated to your mental health journey and creating a plan that works for you. We’ll help you take control of your own wellness while developing healthy strategies to assist you in your day-to-day activities.
Learn more by booking with Stone Silo today, and take advantage of both our mental and physical wellness teams and services.