If You're Irritable, Angry, And Anxious, These Tips Can Help You Manage All 3 At Once

Jun 12, 2018 by apost team

When you envision anxiety symptoms, you may only think about the worries and fears that it brings. Some of us may even think about obsessive thoughts or compulsions, but not many people can correlate frustration and rage with anxiety. This irritability can be just as hard to deal with as the other components of anxiety, and rage may even be the most uncontrollable symptom for people diagnosed with GAD, also known as generalized anxiety disorder. 

Researchers now believe that feelings of anger can actually increase the symptoms of generalized anxiety disorders and can also make treating the disorder immensely more challenging. Because angry feelings and anxious thoughts both rely on feelings of uncertainty, it’s more difficult to try to treat both of these pessimistic thinking processes. 

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According to a Concordia University graduate, feelings of anger and the worries from anxiety go hand in hand. The link between them is explained by Sonya Deschenes, who states that “when a situation is ambiguous, such that the outcome could be good or bad, anxious individuals tend to assume the worst. That often results in heightened anxiety. There is also evidence of that same thought process in individuals who are easily angered. Therefore, anger and GAD may be two manifestations of the same biased thought process.”  

To help cope with feelings of irritation and anger, you need to be able to identify your feelings properly. Once the feelings are recognized, managing them becomes much easier. 

Physical signs of anger and irritation are as follows: 

• Clenching fists and jaws 
• Tensity in back or shoulders 
• Sweating 
• Rapid heartbeat 
• A flushed face, or feelings of heat in your head, neck or hand areas 
• Dizziness 
• Headaches 
• Stomachaches 
• Trembling 

When you begin to feel physical symptoms of anxiety, don’t ignore them. Acknowledge that you’re becoming irritable or anxious and then use coping skills to calm yourself back down. 

Check Your Breathing. Before you begin to scream or take your anger out on somebody, allow yourself to take deep breaths. Through your nose, take breaths inwards while counting to three, and outwards, this time through your mouth, while counting to four. This process can be repeated as much as necessary until you feel the symptoms rest and end in relaxation. 

Honesty. Regardless of what bothered you in the first place, it’s okay. Your peers won’t judge you as harshly as you will yourself. It’s okay if what set you off was minor and unimportant. It’s also okay if you got angry at something you said you wouldn’t let bother you anymore. 

Everyone gets irritated, and everyone gets moments of anger. Each one of us has our weak moments. However, if you allow yourself to be honest about what you’re feeling, it can be easier to move past this frustration. If you take yourself less seriously and have a laugh at what’s going on, you can effectively decrease your level of anxiety. 

Activity. Exerting yourself physically will help reduce excess energy levels and will allow the release of endorphins, which are chemicals from your brain that allow you to feel happy. Exercise also can be a great way to let out your anger. Yoga, running and even walking can be helpful. After a great session of exercise, you will feel relaxed and peaceful. 

Be Gentle. Chances are that you aren’t as accepting of your outbursts of anxiety as you would be for your friends or family. Generalized anxiety disorder and other types of anxiety disorders are often coupled with these feelings of frustration and anger, often resulting in similar symptoms physically. This could be because our bodies process the two feelings in a similar manner. 

Remember to be easy on yourself. It’s impossible to reduce feelings of anger if you’re upset with yourself for getting irritated, so be gentle instead. Make mental notes telling yourself that you’re trying your best and that you’re always working to find better ways to cope with your disorder.

What do you think of these techniques? Do you have your own way of dealing with your anger and anxiety? Show this article to a friend or family member who might need some advice!