Irritability. How to get rid of it? Excessive nervousness: causes of irritability

The modern world is full of irritants - from the banal runaway morning coffee to global warming. Moreover, the perception of these stimuli may also be different. For example, it is much easier to unsettle a tired or sick person even with a small trifle. But fatigue or illness are not the only factors that can cause irritability.

Causes of increased nervousness may include:

• Chronic fatigue. The inability to organize your time and balance work with leisure inevitably affects your health over time. An exhausted, chronically sleep-deprived person becomes weak and apathetic. His nervous system also becomes weak. As a result, any task seems overwhelming, and any trouble seems unbearable.
• Anxiety, fears. Expectation or fear of something unpleasant creates internal tension, which “stretches” the nerves to the limit. Therefore, provoke an explosion negative emotions maybe even a trifle.
• Dependencies. Addictions to alcohol, nicotine, drugs, food can cause increased aggressiveness. Or more precisely, situations when a dependent person is deprived of the opportunity to satisfy his need or tries to cope with the problem on his own. Workaholism can also be a cause of irritability. A workaholic who considers rest an unaffordable luxury becomes nervous and irritable at home, on vacation or on sick leave.
• External factors. The mood can be ruined by suddenly bad weather, someone's unpleasant words or actions, problems with transport (traffic jam, breakdown, etc.). Even news heard on the radio or seen on TV or on the Internet can affect the state of the nervous system.
• Unstable psyche. The tendency to be acutely aware of one's surroundings may be part of one's character. It can be given by nature, that is, from birth. Or it may appear in the course of life - due to errors in upbringing, mental trauma, or difficult living conditions.
• Stress. A chronic stressful situation is another reason why increased irritability may appear. Constant troubles at work or at home can throw you off balance for a long time.
• Violation of rules, rituals, plans. For people who are accustomed to planning their lives or creating rituals and rules in it, excessive nervousness can be caused by any circumstance that prevents them from being fulfilled, or by any person who does not want to do them or stands in the way of their implementation.
• Physiological needs. Unsatisfied natural needs - hunger, thirst, sleep, sexual desire - can make a person nervous and aggressive. Here you can add a lack of love, respect, attention, lack of comfort or consistency in living conditions.
• Hormonal imbalances. The cause of irritability may lie in the body itself - in its hormonal background. These can be “coming” conditions - PMS, pregnancy, menopause. Diseases of the endocrine system can also unbalance the nervous system - diabetes, diseases thyroid gland(tumors, thyrotoxicosis).
• Somatic and mental illness . Increased nervousness and irritability may be a consequence of diseases of the of different nature. From ordinary ARVI to oncology. This is facilitated by restrictions (diet, bed rest, etc.), unpleasant symptoms (pain, runny nose, cough, etc.) and procedures. Especially if they drag on. An inadequate reaction is often accompanied by neuroses, Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, and dementia.

Let us separately note the reasons for female irritability. In this case, a tandem of psychological and physiological factors is triggered. The life of the fairer sex is subject to hormones - from puberty to old age. She experiences a “dance” of hormones during each menstrual cycle, during pregnancy and after childbirth, as well as during menopause. This is superimposed on the “everyday life” in which most women live - kitchen, children, work, washing, cleaning, etc. All this is additionally exhausting and makes women more vulnerable to irritation.

Important! Excessive nervousness towards others can manifest perfectionism. A person’s inconsistency with expected qualities or parameters causes irritation in a perfectionist.

Symptoms of the development of irritability in humans

Irritability is a rejection of a certain situation, an unwillingness to come to terms with it. It can manifest itself hidden, without coming out - inside a person. Or it can be expressed very brightly and aggressively. It all depends on the significance of the stimulus and the conditions under which it appeared.

Main symptoms of irritability:

1. Hidden signs. Only the irritated one feels them - everything is literally boiling inside him. Although others may not notice this. Such suppression of emotions can cause physiological problems such as headaches and nausea.
2. Clear signs . Dissatisfaction can manifest itself as isolation and reluctance to talk, or a sharp abandonment of planned activities or intentions. Tears and reproaches can be used. Irritations of a higher degree of tension can be expressed by raising the voice, sudden movements, tapping fingers on the table or swinging the leg, and fussy behavior. A person on the verge of a breakdown may be angry and aggressive - with the use of physical strength, insults or damage to property (breaking dishes, throwing a phone, etc.).
3. Associated manifestations. Most often, irritability and fatigue go hand in hand. The latter is not only the cause, but also an accompaniment of emotional outbursts of nervousness. Sleep and appetite may be disturbed - both in the direction of intensification and in the direction of absence. Nervous tension affects memory and the ability to concentrate, that is, performance.

Pharmacy products for the treatment of irritability

The pharmaceutical industry offers its assistance in restoring emotional balance. Exists a large number of preparations for the medicinal treatment of irritability - based on plant raw materials, synthetic components, as well as combined agents.

We list the most popular of them:

• One-component herbal remedies based on valerian, motherwort, peony, St. John's wort, passionflower incarnate (tinctures, tablets, extracts).
• Multicomponent herbal preparations: Fitosed, Persen, Novo-Passit, Dormiplant.
• Combined liquid forms: Valocordin, Corvalol, Valosedan.
• Synthetic medications: Phenibut, Afobazol, Tenoten,
• Homeopathic remedies: Leovit, Notta, Calm, Valerianahel, Nervohel.

Important! Regardless of what components the drug is made from, it is a medicinal product. And it will bring greatest benefit, if prescribed by a doctor.

Traditional methods of dealing with irritability

It is not only the modern world that is characterized by problems. They accompany humanity throughout its existence. As well as constant irritability. That's why ethnoscience has its own recipes for such a case.

Recipes folk remedies from irritability:

1. Decoction of coriander seeds: pour 1 tsp. plant seeds with a glass of boiling water, hold for 15 minutes in a water bath, cool and drink 2-3 tbsp. l. 4 times a day.
2. Hot infusion of motherwort, valerian root, fennel and caraway: mix all the plants in equal parts. 2 tbsp. l. Pour boiling water (400 ml) over the resulting mixture. Take the cooled infusion three times a day or, if necessary, 50 ml.
3. Infusion of motherwort with lemon: mix 1 tbsp. l. plants with the zest of one lemon and pour a glass of boiling water over everything, set aside for 3 hours and take 1 dessert spoon 4 times a day.
4. Soothing mixture with nuts and lemons: pass 2 tbsp through a meat grinder (blender). l. walnuts or almonds and 3 lemons, mix with 500 g of honey, 2/3 tbsp. l. hawthorn tincture and the same amount of valerian tincture. You need to take 1 tbsp. l. before meals and before bed. Keep refrigerated.

No less effective is tea with mint and/or lemon balm, known to everyone since childhood. Herbal baths with valerian root, motherwort or yarrow give good relaxing results.

How to get rid of irritability

There are people who have their own express method for getting rid of irritability: some smoke, others drink, others break dishes or eat sweets. But this does not solve the problem as a whole - it only reduces the level of nervousness until the next stimulus. Therefore, it is very important to identify the real reason nervousness and choose the most effective way managing it.

How to get rid of irritability for men

Men are by nature more emotionally stable. Therefore, they need the stimulus more strongly, and their “outbursts” are more powerful. Accordingly, they need to work on themselves more.

Ways to reduce irritability in men:

• Adrenaline release. The ideal way for men to “let off steam” is physical activity. This could be a sport or any job that requires physical effort.
• Day planning. Learn to distribute your time rationally so that you have enough for things that are important to you (family, relationships, hobbies, work). It is very important to balance work and rest. And be sure to get enough sleep - at least 6 hours of continuous sleep per day.
• Proper nutrition. Being busy is not a reason to feel hungry or to fill it with snacks. Eating well will give you the strength to do everything you want to achieve. And it will additionally strengthen the nervous system.
• Healthy lifestyle. Do not overuse, but rather give up completely bad habits. Alcohol or cigarettes slightly soften the reaction to the problem, but do not solve it.
• Abstraction. Use distractions at critical moments. This could be an internal count to 10, a walk, or cleaning. Find it for yourself favorite hobby and devote time to it regularly.
• Real perception of the world. Accept the world around you as it is. And yourself in it. Place real goals. Develop your greatest strengths. Learn to forgive.

How to get rid of irritability for women

The more labile female psyche reacts very sensitively to non-standard or unpleasant situations. In order not to complicate life for yourself and those around you, the fair half of humanity needs to be able to manage their emotions.

Ways to relieve irritability in women:

Important! In principle, both female and male ways Reducing irritability is equally effective in both sexes.

How to get rid of irritability - watch the video:

Excessive irritability is a poison that poisons life. But not a sentence. You can get rid of it - you just need to realize, accept and find the most effective way for yourself.

Irritability is a symptom that very often occurs along with fatigue. They complement each other and manifest themselves from improper organization of working time and rest. When a person does not have normal free time, other things accumulate during the rest period, then chronic fatigue and irritability gradually appear. That is why doctors strongly recommend that all people properly distribute time for work and rest.

Etiology

Increased irritability is formed on the basis. The causes of symptoms can also be an exacerbation of chronic illnesses, physically, lack of sleep, or a disruption in the daily routine. If a person succumbs to irritability, then his hormonal levels begin to change and his immunity decreases.

Clinicians have determined that the causes of irritability are internal and external.

Internal provoking factors include the following diseases:

• anxious feeling;
• feeling of hunger;
• stress after injury;
• severe fatigue;
• alcohol and drug abuse;
• inability to express oneself;
• imbalance of brain functionality.

TO external factors Doctors attribute reasons related to the external environment that cause dissatisfaction. The symptom can be provoked by wrong actions of people, traffic jams, disasters or other annoying things.

The reasons are divided into three further categories:

• physiological - often diagnosed in women before menstruation, when hormonal levels change; they can also manifest themselves during pregnancy, menopause, and thyroid disease. Nervousness and irritability in women can progress from a feeling of hunger, lack of vitamins and microelements, or the use of medications;
• psychological - typical for lack of sleep, fatigue, anxiety, fear, stress, addiction to nicotine, alcohol or drugs;
• genetic - excessive impact on the nervous system. Irritability is not a symptom, but a character trait.

Constant irritability can be a sign of such pathologies - mental illnesses.

If irritability appears along with, then most likely the problem lies in somatic diseases, lack of vitamins, pregnancy or hormonal imbalances when menstruation begins.

Also, the symptom often appears without any objective reasons. As a rule, in adults this phenomenon is associated with somatic disorders or internal experiences. Under such circumstances, irritation develops in people with mental disorders. The group of such individuals includes those who cannot accept the realities of the world, agree on certain rules and cope with social problems. In such cases, people are diagnosed with a mental disorder and may experience irritability, aggression, anger, or other symptoms from time to time.

It was mentioned earlier that irritability often appears in women due to hormonal imbalances. However, this symptom is increasingly developing in men. This is not surprising, since the male body secretes many hormones that can decrease or increase.

During a period of testosterone deficiency, the stronger sex exhibits abnormal aggression and irritability. The formation of the sign may be associated with the fear of developing impotence.

The symptom can also appear in young children as young as two years old. The causes of irritability can be the following factors:

• psychological;
• physiological;
• genetic.

Irritability can also manifest itself as a symptom of severe pathologies - perinatal encephalopathy, allergies, infections, food intolerance, psychiatric illnesses.

Symptoms

Irritability in men and women manifests itself in increased excitability and the formation of negative emotions in relation to minor provoking factors. Any little thing can cause a person to have an attack of anger and irritability. To be able to distinguish this symptom and know how to prevent it, the patient needs to understand what symptoms it manifests itself in.

When a person is irritable:

• the intonation and volume of the conversation changes;
• movements are more abrupt;
• eyeball movements accelerate;
• the oral cavity becomes dehydrated;
• sweaty palms;
• breathing becomes too fast.

Sometimes there may be a desire to get rid of all your emotions, or in psychology this process is called “throwing out negative emotions.” If you do not provide yourself with emotional release, then outbursts of anger, neurosis and other negative reactions may periodically appear. Such signs inform a person about mental disorder, and forces the patient to turn to.

When irritability appears, men complain of fatigue and depression. But the female body, during outbreaks of hormonal imbalance, provokes such signs - mood changes, conflict, anxiety, restlessness.

Treatment

All large quantity The population is interested in the question of how to get rid of irritability. IN modern world this question is very relevant, since the number of external provoking factors has increased and people are much more susceptible to them. In this regard, doctors suggest different ways how to deal with irritability.

For all patients, clinicians derived general rules behavior when identifying irritability:

• alternate work;
• engage in physical and mental activity consistently;
• when working at home, you can do cleaning or cooking, and for office employees you can go for a walk outside;
• drink daily norm water;
• get enough sleep;
• ventilate the room;
• eat healthy food.

When considering how to deal with irritability, it may seem like there is nothing complicated about it. However, many people whose symptoms are triggered by external stimuli have difficulty in adequately eliminating the symptom. Quite often, people try to relieve stress with nicotine and alcohol, but this is completely wrong. Using these drugs can only aggravate the situation, damaging the brain and other cells and tissues of the body.

Also, doctors do not advise coping with the disease by drinking strong coffee and tea. They lead only to a temporary effect of activity, and then fatigue and aggressiveness returns with new intensity.

Psychologists advise all patients to cope with attacks of irritability in simple ways:

• do not focus only on negative emotions;
• express your troubles to relatives and friends;
• restrain outbursts of anger, do not show them in front of loved ones;
• learn to yield in various situations;
• set realistic goals for yourself;
• study more sports and walk outside;
• engage in auto-training;
• get enough sleep;
• with frequent manifestations of irritability and fatigue, a short vacation is needed.

Medications can be used to treat symptoms. Medicines are prescribed to the patient for severe irritability and the development of mental illnesses.

Are you overly irritable? Excessive irritability can be managed. Find out how!

When you are irritated, everything makes you nervous: loud noises, the actions of other people, objects that get in your way, and even your own actions. The feeling of irritation is familiar to every person. But when it occurs too often, it is worth thinking about the reasons for this phenomenon and taking measures to “extinguish” excessive irritability in yourself.

Increased irritability indicates problems

For some people, increased irritability is a feature of their personality. But according to psychiatrists, there are very few such people. Usually the cause of irritability is some problems that have appeared in our life. Causes of irritability include:

• exhaustion of the nervous system, fatigue, depression, stress
• psychological problems associated with the experience of some depressing event
• diseases, for example, cardiovascular and endocrine systems, digestive tract
• taking medications that cause irritability as a side effect

Psychologists believe that excessive irritability often appears against the background of chronic stress and dissatisfaction with oneself. Dissatisfaction with what is happening to you and what surrounds you, the feeling that you yourself cannot change anything in your life and are not living the way you wanted, leads to the fact that a person is constantly “on edge” and throws out aggression about and without.

Excessive irritability is also characteristic of people who often abuse alcoholic beverages.

How does irritability manifest?

Irritability manifests itself in the form of increased excitability and the occurrence of negative emotional reactions in response to the most minor stimuli. Any little thing can cause another attack of anger. In a moment of irritation:

• changes in speech volume and intonation
• movements become more abrupt
• eye movements accelerate
• my mouth gets dry
• palms sweat
• breathing quickens

Sometimes you can suppress irritability in yourself, simply restrain the desire to throw out negative emotions. But if we do this constantly, the emotion can “accumulate”, and over time we risk breaking down. Then the outbursts of anger will be even greater than usual. Even neuroses may arise, which will be problematic to cope with without the help of a psychotherapist. To avoid these negative consequences, it is necessary to develop special adaptive mechanisms and teach the body to properly extinguish irritation.

Getting rid of excessive irritability

Of course, completely get rid of this feeling and stop being irritated impossible. Yes, this is not necessary, because with the help of irritation our nervous system reacts to external influences and identifies changes in the world around us that are favorable and unfavorable for us. We just need to reduce the amount of aggression and learn to provoke the emergence of positive emotions.

In order to successfully deal with excessive irritability, you need to develop a special behavior strategy.

• Learn to analyze your negative emotions and find the real reason irritation. The main thing is to understand what creates psychological discomfort and provokes aggression. As a rule, we “break away” not at those who really caused the irritation.
• Look at things realistically, don't expect too much, don't create illusions.
• If cause of irritability are diseases, it is necessary to identify and treat them.
• Get enough sleep. Healthy sleep - good way relax and relieve excessive tension.
• Take time to relax. Proper rest is not lying on the couch in front of the computer. A change of environment and active pastime will help eliminate irritability. And new impressions can replace negative experiences that prevent you from relaxing.
• Control your breathing. When we are irritated, our breathing quickens. If you concentrate on your breathing and try to slow it down, the irritation will subside.
• Learn relaxation techniques, such as qigong and yoga.
• Perhaps you are minding your own business, and it is tormenting you. Maybe it's time to change jobs or find a hobby you like.
• Don't forget about physical activity. Exercise will not only improve your physical fitness, but will also help you unload mentally.
• Learn to think positively. Psychologists believe that positive thinking– a very important factor for a person’s comfortable life.

Reader Questions

18 October 2013, 17:25 hello. I often suppress anger because of my lack of confidence. If someone told me something that I don’t like, I will remain silent, and then I gnaw at myself for a few more days, twisting the scenarios as to how I could answer. For some reason, at that moment I have no words I’m not there to answer. And if in some situations I answer, then a lump immediately comes to my throat and I cry. Then I hold a grudge against this person for a very long time. There’s always some kind of confusion in my head, mood swings.... I used to have cheerful, sociable, optimistic, and now withdrawn, always not pleased with everyone, very suspicious, health problems... I understand that all this is interconnected, but I can’t cope without an experienced specialist. Help or tell me how to increase my confidence to yourself.

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“Positive emotions play an important role in life satisfaction, a positive perception of the world, and positive self-esteem. If a person is prone to negative experiences, then this does not give him the opportunity to feel well and maintain health. If in a person's life ⅔ are situations when he feels positive, and only ⅓ - negative, then the person will prosper, he will have health and psychological well-being", - speaks doctor psychological sciences, professor, Nosenko Eleonora Lvovna.

Get rid of excessive irritability, gain psychological comfort and think positively!

Irritability is a very common human condition. Any, even the most insignificant, trifle can become a reason for irritation - cold tea, running mascara, lack of Wi-Fi in the phone... Let's take a closer look at the nature of irritability and how to deal with it.

What is irritability?

It’s worth noting right away that irritability is not a disease. It also cannot be called a symptom of any disease, although there are isolated cases. This is a normal physiological reaction that can be compared, for example, to withdrawing your hand from a hot iron. Only if we pull back the iron for the benefit of our body - so as not to get burned, then in the case of irritability this reaction cannot be called useful for our body.

First, let's figure out how irritability arises. Our brain cells contain many receptors responsible for memory, pain, joy, sadness and irritability. When faced with something unpleasant, these cells immediately send a signal to the brain about irritation of some of our organs: nose, ears, mouth, and so on. The body's reaction to the stimulus is triggered, and we begin to get irritated. It seems that this is just a biological reaction that goes away over time. Not certainly in that way.

Many psychologists and analysts associate the nature of irritability with something subconscious, that is, something that we cannot control. This is partly true: we can walk down the street and suddenly, out of nowhere, a bad smell appears, or just as unexpectedly, a car sprays us, or a neighbor starts making noise at night. All these situations occur unplanned, they are not pleasant for our perception, so our brain reacts to them with irritability.

A person can prevent an attack of irritability from occurring. The emotion that arises is under our complete control, so you can simply switch to other, more pleasant thoughts, turn on your favorite music in your headphones, watch your favorite movie, or go out for a walk.

Signs and causes of irritability in men and women

What are the signs of an irritated person? There are several of them. This:

• Emotional outburst , as they usually say, “got into a fever,” “got mad,” “flared up,” “something came over me.”
• Outbursts of uncontrollable anger which are expressed in the use of harsh and sometimes obscene words.
• The desire to get rid of the irritant . So, a person makes attempts to somehow get rid of the object or object that caused irritation.

Now let's talk about the causes of irritability. These include:

• Fatigue . Concepts such as irritability and fatigue go hand in hand. The fact is that when a person is overtired, he automatically becomes irritated.
• Mental instability – a state in which every little thing throws you out of balance. A person who is mentally unstable gets irritated by every little thing.
• Negative people . We all know that there are optimists and pessimists. Pessimists are more prone to irritability than optimists.
• Critical days for women . The fact is that before menstruation, the level of the hormone progesterone rises, which causes hormonal changes. This is reflected in mental state Girls, in particular, develop an irritable state.

In the following video, an experiment on irritability is conducted, based on the results of which the reasons for this condition are determined:

It is also important to know what irritability leads to. It does not cause serious harm to the body, but it can create certain inconveniences. Thus, a person who is often irritated becomes lethargic and lacking initiative; he gets tired faster and rarely laughs.

Irritability during pregnancy

A pregnant woman feels irritable for the following reasons:

• Hormonal disbalance . This is the most common irritant in women when the level of the steroid hormone progesterone increases significantly, which affects the psyche. The condition is stabilized due to the production of estrogen, which neutralizes psycho-emotional instability. But at the same time, no pregnant woman is immune from sudden changes in irritability.
• Unstable psychological background . This applies to the first months of pregnancy, when a woman is just aware of her position and new status"Moms". In the second trimester, the condition may subside as the pregnant woman is ready to become a mother, or it may intensify, for example, due to fear of childbirth or excessive concern for the baby.
• Toxicosis . The condition is most acute in the first trimester, when the woman feels nausea, general weakness and, possibly, a change in eating preferences. Irritability increases against the background of a difficult psychological state.

To neutralize the effects of irritability, a pregnant woman needs to be surrounded with love and care. Also, the expectant mother should lead healthy image life, attend courses for pregnant women, often visit fresh air and so on. All remedies to eliminate irritability should be taken only with the permission of the attending physician, so as not to harm either yourself or the growing fetus.

Techniques for dealing with nervousness

If you find that you are increasingly beginning to feel irritability, you can use the following techniques to combat this condition:

• Learn to restrain yourself, for example, using the counting method - silently count slowly to 10, then try to remove the irritant with a “cool” head.
• Lead a healthy lifestyle by doing physical activity and following the principles proper nutrition. This will keep you toned and stable. psychological state, so outbursts of irritability are practically eliminated.
• If you notice that you are starting to get irritated by unpleasant smells, keep a “pocket calmer” with you - drip a handkerchief with a pleasant smell, for example, lavender oil, and during outbursts of anger, inhale your favorite smell for a few seconds.
• Be sure to follow the rules of healthy sleep - at least 6-7 hours a day.
• If you feel irritability coming on, check breathing exercises- make a deep entrance for 10 minutes, and after a maximum delay, exhale slowly. One cycle of inhalation and exhalation will take 5 seconds.

Treatments for irritability

There are two methods of treating irritability - treatment with folk remedies and medications.

It is definitely necessary to say about what is definitely not necessary to treat irritability. Many people believe that stress is very successfully treated with alcohol, cigarettes, hookah, coffee, strong tea, confectionery, etc. All these methods will not work, and if they do work, it will not be for long: soon the irritability will return with the same force.

Folk remedies against irritability

This includes decoctions, mixtures, and tinctures. So, the following help very well with irritability:

• Coriander seed decoction . To prepare it, you need to take one teaspoon of plant seeds and pour boiling water over it, heating the mixture in a water bath for 15 minutes. Afterwards you need to cool it. The decoction is drunk 4 times a day, 2-3 tablespoons.
• Collection of fennel, caraway, valerian root and motherwort – this collection can be purchased at any pharmacy, or you can prepare it yourself. To do this, pour 2 tablespoons of all these plants into a container and pour boiling water over them. Then you need to cool the collection and start drinking 50 grams 4 times a day. Within 10 days after the start of the course, you will notice that all the irritants have evaporated somewhere.
• Motherwort infusion with lemon – to prepare this infusion you need to take 1 tablespoon of motherwort, the zest of one lemon, put it all in a glass and pour boiling water over it. After 15 minutes, pour the liquid into an enamel bowl and leave for 3 hours. Take a tablespoon after meals 4 times a day.
• Cucumber herb infusion – an infusion from this plant helps not only with irritability, but also with insomnia and neurosis. To prepare an infusion of borage, you need to take several whole plants, since the stems, leaves, and flowers are useful here. Next, chop the herb and pour boiling water over it. Leave for 4 hours, then take 2 tablespoons 6 times a day. After a week, you will notice a positive effect from taking the infusion.
• Tincture of spices and prunes – this tincture is not only effective in treating irritability, but also delicious. To prepare it, you need to take 1 glass of prunes, put them in a container and pour 500 ml of Cahors. This mixture must be heated over low heat, and while it is warming up, you can do the spices: take half a teaspoon of cardamom, 4 buds of cloves, a few leaves bay tree and allspice peas. All this must be added to the mixture without turning off the heat. After 2 hours, remove the mixture from the stove, cool and drink 40 grams before bed.
• A mixture of honey, lemon and nuts - to prepare the mixture you need to take 500 grams of honey, 3 lemons, and a tablespoon of ground walnuts or almonds. Pass all this through a meat grinder or grind in a blender. Then add the already prepared tincture of hawthorn and valerian to the mixture (you can buy it at the pharmacy). You need to take 2-3 tablespoons of tincture. Add the tinctures to the mixture of honey, nuts and lemon, mix everything and put it in the refrigerator. The mixture should be taken 15 minutes before meals.
• Herbal bath - Very effective remedy to combat irritability. To prepare a herbal bath, you need to take any sedative tincture - for example, tincture of valerian, motherwort or yarrow, strain it and add it to the bath with water. The water temperature should be warm, but not very hot. You should take such a bath at the end of the day, before going to bed.

Irritability is increased excitability, a tendency to negative emotional reactions in response to situations that are inadequate in terms of significance. Irritability is largely determined by the type of human nervous system. It can be congenital, hereditarily determined character trait, or a consequence of adverse influences and certain environmental conditions, such as severe stress, responsible work, impossible task, constant lack of time. The most surprising thing is that a person does not know why he loses control over himself. Subsequently, he may regret his words spoken in the heat of anger, and some rash actions. Often irritable people They can be aggressive, which makes others wary of them. But aggressiveness is already an alarming symptom, since many mental disorders manifest themselves this way.

If your irritability is just temporary, chances are your thick skin has suddenly worn down and you're starting to notice things that previously left you cold. A sudden car malfunction causes a flash of rage, and for some time critical remark your colleagues, expressed with the best intentions, you respond with such a tirade, which they then remember for a long time. However, irritability can accompany almost any disease. Very often, people who find out that they are sick with something become irritable and angry with the whole world, without understanding why this is happening to them.

Causes of irritability

Irritability as a symptom of a disease is an increased excitability of the patient with a tendency to express negative emotions, while the strength of the emotions significantly exceeds the strength of the factor that caused them (i.e., a minor nuisance causes an abundant flow of negative experiences). Every person has been in this state more than once, even the most mentally healthy person has moments of fatigue, poor physical well-being, periods of “dark streak” in life - all this contributes to increased irritability. But we must not forget that this condition occurs in many mental illnesses.

The causes of irritability from a physiological point of view are the increased reactivity of the central nervous system, which develops under the influence of various factors: hereditary (character traits), internal (hormonal imbalances, metabolic disorders, mental illness), external (stress, infections). It is hormonal changes that cause increased irritability during pregnancy and after childbirth, as well as during menstruation and menopause.

Diseases in which there is increased irritability

The most common symptom of irritability occurs in mental illnesses such as depression, neuroses, post-traumatic stress disorder, psychopathy, alcoholism and drug addiction, schizophrenia, and dementia.

With depression, irritability is combined with a persistently low mood, some “slowness” of thinking, and insomnia. There is a condition opposite to depression - in psychiatry it is called mania. In this condition, it is also possible to have increased irritability, even anger, in combination with inappropriately elevated mood, accelerated thinking to the point of disorder. In both depression and mania, sleep is often disturbed, which can cause irritability.

With neuroses, irritability is often combined with anxiety, symptoms of depression, and increased fatigue. And in this case, irritability may be a consequence of insomnia, which is not uncommon in neuroses. Post-traumatic stress disorder occurs in a person who has experienced severe shock. In this condition, irritability is observed in combination with anxiety, insomnia or nightmares, and obsessive unpleasant thoughts. People with alcoholism or drug addiction are especially susceptible to irritability during withdrawal symptoms. This is often the cause of crimes, and always complicates the life of the patient’s relatives.

With such a serious illness as schizophrenia, irritability can be a harbinger of an approaching psychotic state, but can be observed both in remission and in the prodromal period of the disease. Often with schizophrenia, irritability is combined with suspicion, isolation, increased sensitivity, and mood swings.

And finally, increased irritability is often observed in patients with dementia - or acquired dementia. As a rule, these are elderly people whose dementia resulted from a stroke or age-related changes. In younger patients, dementia may occur as a result of severe traumatic brain injury, infections, or alcohol and drug abuse. In any case, people with dementia are prone to irritability, increased fatigue, and tearfulness.

As for psychopathy, not all doctors consider it a disease. Many experts consider manifestations of psychopathy to be innate character traits. One way or another, irritability is definitely inherent in such people, especially with decompensation - i.e. during the period of exacerbation of symptoms. Almost every disease internal organs may be accompanied by increased irritability. But this symptom is especially characteristic of diseases of the thyroid gland, menopausal changes in a woman’s body, and neurological problems.

Irritability in women

Irritability is more common in women than in men. And there are reasons for this. Swedish researchers have proven that women's irritability is genetically determined. A woman’s nervous system initially has increased excitability and is prone to rapid mood changes and anxiety. Added to genetic factors is the excessive workload of most women with household chores.

This leads to chronic lack of sleep, overwork - psychological causes of irritability are formed. Hormonal changes that regularly occur in the female body (menstrual cycle, pregnancy, menopause) are physiological causes of irritability. Given such a complex of reasons, it is not surprising that many women are characterized by increased and sometimes constant irritability.

Irritability during pregnancy

Hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy in a woman’s body cause changes in nervous system. These changes are especially pronounced in the first months of pregnancy. A woman becomes nervous, tearful, her feelings and tastes change, even her worldview. Of course, all this leads to a state of increased irritability. Such changes accompany even a desired, expected pregnancy, not to mention an unplanned pregnancy. Close people should treat all these whims and quirks with understanding and patience. Fortunately, around the middle of pregnancy, the hormonal balance becomes more stable, and the woman's irritability decreases.

Irritability after childbirth

After the birth of a child, hormonal changes in the female body continue. The behavior of a young mother is influenced by “motherhood hormones” - Oxytocin and prolactin. They encourage her to give all her attention and love to the child, and irritability caused by the next restructuring of the body often spills out on her husband and other family members. But in the postpartum period, a lot depends on the woman’s character. If she is calm by nature, then her irritability is minimal, and sometimes completely absent.

PMS (premenstrual syndrome)

A few days before the onset of menstruation, a significantly increased concentration of the hormone progesterone is detected in a woman’s blood. High doses of this substance cause sleep disturbances, fever, mood swings, increased irritability, and conflict. Outbursts of anger, aggression, sometimes even with loss of control over one’s behavior, are replaced by tearfulness and a depressed mood. A woman feels causeless anxiety, restlessness; she is absent-minded, interest in usual activities decreases. There is weakness and increased fatigue. Manifestations of PMS in different women expressed to varying degrees.

Climax

Increased irritability, along with hot flashes and fatigue, is one of the main symptoms of menopause. The reasons for this irritability are again physiological, associated with regular hormonal changes and hypovitaminosis (during this period, the woman’s body lacks B vitamins, as well as nicotinic and folic acids).

Menopausal disorders increase gradually. Outbursts of aggression are not typical for this period; irritability is accompanied by touchiness, tearfulness, sleep disturbances, unreasonable fears, and depressed mood. Severe manifestations of menopause require consultation with an endocrinologist. In some cases, the doctor prescribes hormone replacement therapy.

Irritability in men

Not long ago in medical practice a new diagnosis has appeared: male irritability syndrome (MIS). This condition develops during the period of male menopause, when the production of the male hormone, testosterone, decreases in a man’s body.

A deficiency of this hormone makes men nervous, aggressive, and irritable. At the same time, they complain of fatigue, drowsiness, and depression. Irritability caused by physiological reasons is aggravated by overload at work, as well as the fear of developing impotence.

During menopause, men, just like women, need patient, careful attention from loved ones. Their diet should contain a sufficient amount of protein dishes - meat, fish. You definitely need good sleep (at least 7-8 hours a day). In severe cases, replacement therapy is carried out as prescribed by a doctor - testosterone injections.

Irritability in children

Irritability - increased excitability, crying, screaming, even hysteria - can manifest itself in children starting from one and a half to two years. The reasons for this irritability, as in adults, may be:

1. Psychological (desire to attract attention, resentment at the actions of adults or peers, indignation at the prohibitions of adults, etc.).
2. Physiological (feelings of hunger or thirst, fatigue, desire to sleep).
3. Genetic.

In addition, childhood irritability can be a symptom of diseases and conditions such as:

• perinatal encephalopathy (brain damage during pregnancy or childbirth);
• allergic diseases;
• infectious diseases (flu, acute respiratory viral infections, “childhood” infections);
• individual intolerance to certain products;
• psychiatric diseases.

If, with proper upbringing, irritability caused by psychological and physiological reasons softens by about five years, then a genetically determined hot-tempered, irritable character can remain in the child for life. And diseases accompanied by irritability must be treated by a medical specialist (neurologist, allergist, infectious disease specialist, psychiatrist).

Evaluation of a patient with irritability

Such a variety of diseases accompanied by irritability makes self-diagnosis impossible. Moreover, it is sometimes difficult for specialists to determine the cause of increased irritability, so a comprehensive examination of the body is necessary to clarify the diagnosis. It usually includes blood and urine tests, ECG, and ultrasound to identify possible pathologies of internal organs. If no pathology is found during a therapeutic examination, the patient may be referred to a neurologist, who may prescribe an electroencephalogram or MRI. These methods allow us to determine the state of the brain.

Patients with increased irritability usually come to a psychiatrist if a polyclinic examination does not reveal serious deviations in health, and irritability reaches such a degree that it interferes with Everyday life both the patient and his relatives. The psychiatrist evaluates the patient’s examination data by clinic specialists and, if necessary, can prescribe psychological testing to identify the characteristics of the patient’s temperament, the state of his memory and thinking.

Treatment of irritability

If your irritability is a condition that is described as getting off on the wrong foot, or you simply feel out of place, try using the following recommendations.

If you feel that you have become more irritable, take some time to think about the reasons for this. Determining the cause will help you understand the temporary nature of irritability. You must understand that you just need to be more patient and considerate of others. This will keep you from saying or doing things that you might regret later. If you know in advance that you will become overly irritable two days before your period every month, it will be easier for you to control your emotions.

There is no need to hide your feelings. Instead of hiding them, just let people know that you are angry on certain days. People feel worse if they do not admit their experiences to others. If you do not explain to others that you have increased irritability, they will perceive your behavior with complete bewilderment. But if you tell them, "I want to warn you that I might do something wrong today. If I seem too rude to you, please forgive me," this will help people understand your actions and defuse the situation.

Try to take your mind off the things that irritate you by switching to another activity. There is an old saying that says: "Man, busy, does not harm others." Some people just need to find something to do. Go for a walk, do laundry, write a letter to someone, water the lawn. You need to do something to reduce stress and kill time. This will only take 15 minutes or an hour, depending on how quickly you calm down, so you can prevent impulsive behavior.

Before you sort things out with someone, you must make sure. that your thoughts and actions are under your conscious control. Do you have to resort to overly categorical judgments with the words “always?” “needed”, “necessary” or “never”? Don't we have to reckon more with our ideas about this or that person than think about how to solve the problems that have arisen? Do thoughts of retaliation and retaliation against this person cross your mind? Can you sit still quietly? Do you have to raise your voice and slam your fist on the table? Do you feel tension in your neck and back muscles? If any of the above are typical for you, most likely you are not ready to act wisely in difficult situation. If you have to confront someone at this point, you are likely to cause more controversy or complicate the situation than you can resolve.

Learn to control yourself. When someone annoys you and you feel ready to explode if you engage in conversation at that moment, wait a while. Postpone discussing this issue until you feel you can do so in a calm manner.

Set yourself up in a positive way. When you notice that dark thoughts like, “It looks like today is going to be a terrible day for me,” come into your head, try to replace them with positive thoughts. When you wake up in bad mood, close your eyes for a minute and try to imagine a different picture of how calmly and wonderfully you will spend this day. Have positive conversations with yourself. Ask yourself: “I would like to know what good things await me today?”, “I wonder what new things I have to learn today?”. Repeat phrases with words such as “achieve”, “succeed” more often so that they are imprinted in your head and help you overcome irritability.

Drug treatment of irritability

Treatment of the symptom of irritability with medications is carried out only as prescribed by a doctor, and depends on the cause that caused it. If the cause is a mental illness - for example, depression, then antidepressant drugs (Fluoxetine, Amitriptyline, Prozac, etc.) are prescribed. They improve the patient's mood, thereby reducing irritability.

In case of irritability, special attention is paid to normalizing the patient’s night sleep. To do this, the doctor prescribes sleeping pills or sedatives (tranquilizers). If sleep is in order, but there is an anxious state, use sedatives that do not cause drowsiness - “daytime tranquilizers” (rudotel or mezapam).

If increased irritability is caused psychological reasons, and is mainly due to stressful situations in the patient’s life - mild herbal or homeopathic anti-stress preparations are prescribed (Notta, Adaptol, Novo-Passit, etc.).

Traditional medicine

Traditional medicine mainly uses medicinal herbs to combat irritability (in the form of decoctions and infusions, as well as in the form of medicinal baths):

• valerian;
• motherwort;
• borage;
• coriander, etc.

Traditional healers recommend ingesting spice powders for excessive irritability: cloves, cumin, cardamom. A useful tool considered a mixture of honey with crushed walnuts, almonds, lemon and prunes. This tasty medicine is a source of microelements and has a mild anti-stress effect.

However, there are contraindications for folk remedies. These are mental illnesses. For patients with this diagnosis, any treatment can be used only with the permission of a doctor. For example, hot baths can trigger an exacerbation of schizophrenia.