Irritability extends from yourself to everyone else in your life. It’s described as a feeling of agitation and can be a huge annoyance (quite literally) when you have a mental illness. It’s one of the many symptoms that can sometimes be out of our control, especially if we’re not working on trying to avoid it happening. It can be difficult both for the individual and their peers and often leads to unintended arguments and frustrations.
It’s important to note that for the duration of COVID, it’s not uncommon for you to feel frustrated and uneasy. We’re spending the majority of our time at home and that hasn’t been easy for everyone to deal with. With tensions running high, it’s okay if you’re more fed up than usual. It’s really important not to self-diagnose in unprecedented times like these. Sometimes irritability is a coping mechanism for difficult situations, this doesn’t mean you have a mental illness though.
Some people find that fresh air is a good way of clearing their head – going on a walk or for a run can be calming both for you and your household!
If you recognise a pattern, you could try and make a note of what it is that causes you to become irritable – maybe through the form of journaling or recording a voice memo – so that you can take steps to stop this from happening.
Meditation can also help to relax and calm you when you’re feeling tense. This could be practicing breathing techniques or listening to a meditation recording or app.
Quite simply, if you’re living with someone who has a mental illness and they’re having an angry day, it might be best to try and stay out of their way! Often we take our anger out on those we love the most and this often isn’t easy to deal with. I speak mainly in regard to anxiety because my household has to deal with me and my unpredictability on a daily basis, but other illnesses can cause irritability too.
Although it’s not your fault that they’re feeling that way, it really helps to be understanding and to take into consideration that they might just be having a bad day. Try not to say anything that you know will wind them up – again I point out that this is only in relation to anxiety or any other mental illness. Irritability is not an opportunity for someone to be controlling towards you or to lash out constantly and blame their issues on you.
If your irritability gets to a point where it’s affecting your daily life, or affecting your relationships with others, make sure to get in touch with a professional.
Love and good vibes,
Amrit