What is irritability?
Irritability is defined as an excessive sensitivity or impatience to inconvenience, annoyance, or lack of comfort. It manifests itself in a low threshold for becoming angry, frustrated, or upset.
Some key things to understand about irritability:
- It is a common symptom or side effect of various medical conditions like depression, anxiety, chronic stress, sleep deprivation, and hormonal imbalances. Irritability can also be a side effect of certain medications.
- It differs from anger in that irritability builds up internally over time while anger tends to be a reaction to an external trigger.
- Mood instability is closely tied to irritability - someone who is irritable will often experience frequent and intense mood swings.
- Irritability impacts relationships. People who are frequently irritable tend to have more conflict in their interpersonal relationships.
What causes irritability?
The root causes of irritability can include:
- Hormonal changes - Fluctuations in hormones like estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and cortisol can make some people more prone to irritability. This is why conditions like PMS or menopause are associated with irritability. Renew Medical HRT Clinic specializes in advanced hormone testing and personalized treatment plans to help clients achieve hormonal balance and wellbeing.
- Mental health conditions - Depression, anxiety, PTSD and other mental health disorders can lower one's tolerance for frustration.
- Lack of sleep - Not getting enough sleep prevents emotional regulation and the ability to cope with stress.
- Medication side effects - Some medications list irritability as a potential side effect.
How to manage irritability
If you frequently feel irritable, some self-care tips include:
- Get enough sleep
- Exercise to boost mood
- Practice stress management techniques like yoga or meditation
- Consider therapy to address underlying issues
- Have hormone levels tested and seek treatment if imbalanced - Renew Medical HRT Clinic offers individualized care.
The bottom line is that irritability is often a symptom of an underlying issue. Seeking appropriate medical treatment and self-care can help manage irritability. Reach out to a doctor or specialists like those at Renew Medical HRT Clinic if you frequently feel irritable with no clear cause.