How To Address Persistent Irritability

Everyone gets irritated from time to time. Some people may even be more generally “irritable” than others. But, there’s a difference between getting upset by certain situations and finding yourself consistently and persistently irritated. Irritability impacts everyone differently. For some, it can feel like a minor annoyance. For others, it can lead to outbursts of rage.

Obviously, that’s not something you want to have to deal with all the time. So, what can you do if you’re struggling with persistent irritability/ How can you put a stop to it and get a handle on your feelings?

Understanding the Symptoms

It’s important to understand the symptoms of persistent irritability, so you can be more aware of the things that need to change. Some of the most common characteristics include:

• Getting annoyed easily

• Getting angry over small things

• Aggression

Again, it’s not uncommon to experience irritability from time to time. But, persistent irritability is something far more serious, and it’s typically a sign of something deeper going on beneath the surface.

What Causes Persistent Irritability?

To be able to effectively manage persistent irritability, you first need to understand some of the potential psychological causes that could be contributing to it. Some of the most common include depression, anxiety, isolation, and even relationship issues. That doesn’t mean that occasionally losing your cool or being annoyed stems from a mental health condition. But, if your irritability feels like something out of your control and is starting to have a negative impact on your life, it’s important to dig beneath the surface to determine what’s really causing it.

Unfortunately, irritability can be quite difficult to officially diagnose. Everyone has a different threshold for their “annoyance” level. Even if you find yourself consistently irritated, you might not outwardly show it. That can make the problem easier to ignore for a while. But, your emotions – including feeling irritated – will always demand to be felt. The longer you’re able to keep things in, the stronger those feelings might become.

So, in many cases, it’s up to each individual to seek out help and treatment, rather than assuming a diagnosis will be an easy feat for a therapist or doctor.

What Can You Do?

While your first inclination might be to find ways to treat your irritability, the best thing you can do is to get to the underlying cause(s) first. When you address those causes, the symptoms will start to fade away naturally. At home, things like adjusting your habits can help. Get more sleep, practice self-care, and make time to enjoy yourself. Do something just for you each day, no matter how small it is. You might be surprised by how much of a difference it makes.

Spend time with people you care about, and make sure you’re not isolating yourself away from the people and things you love.

If you’re really struggling with your mental well-being, don’t hesitate to reach out for help. A therapist can help you to dig beneath the surface and work through issues of depression, anxiety, and so much more. When you start to work through those things, you might find that you feel less irritable over time.

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Feel free to contact me for more information or if you need help digging into your feelings of persistent irritability. Together, we’ll discover what might be causing those feelings, so you can start to work through them and any other linger mental wellness issues. You don’t have to go through life feeling a heightened sense of annoyance or anger. You can find happiness in your everyday life, and letting go of your irritability is a great place to start.