What Causes Irritability and How to Manage It

Written by Nancy LeBrun
Medically Reviewed by Shruthi N, MD on July 31, 2025
7 min read

What is irritability?

We know irritability when we see it or feel it, but what exactly is it? Experts differ on the exact definition, but a way to think of it is as feelings of annoyance and impatience that are out of proportion to the situation. When you’re irritable, you’re in a bad mood and more likely to get angry. It’s something almost everyone feels at times, but some people feel irritable often enough for it to affect their lives and relationships. 

How is irritability different from anger?

Irritability and anger are not the same, but they often go together. When you’re feeling irritable, you’re extremely sensitive to what’s going on around you and it can boil over and lead to anger. You may not be aware of it, but frustration plays a big role in irritability, and that can go hand-in-hand with anger.  

Among the traits that irritable people share is having a long list of pet peeves, says clinical psychotherapist Jackson Rainer, PhD, who practices in Atlanta. There are also those who "feel they are not getting their own way, feel unheard, feel a general sense of frustration, and feel blocked from achieving a specific goal they have set. Those are fairly common themes."

You may also feel that you’ve been treated unfairly or blamed for something you don’t feel responsible for, whether that’s actually the case or not.  

"Anger is one of the things that comes out of that irritability," says psychologist Ryan Martin, PhD, a researcher on anger at the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay, and author of the book How to Deal with Angry People. "Human beings don’t feel things in a vacuum. When people are irritable, they’re also anxious, they’re also angry, they’re also sad. Often, irritability is a big hodgepodge of negative emotions, and it can make it hard for us to distinguish why we’re feeling a certain way."

Types of irritability: phasic vs. tonic  

Experts identify two types of irritability, depending on how persistent or intense it is. 

  • Tonic irritability: A grumpy feeling or bad mood that happens often or lasts for a long time. Children who have tonic irritability are more likely to be depressed or withdrawn when they grow up.  
  • Phasic irritability: A hair-trigger mood that leads to outbursts. Children who have temper tantrums, a sign of phasic irritability, are more likely to have a hyperactive, impulsive, or aggressive personality as adults, and more likely to have severe depression. 

Your mood may be sour and you’re on edge because you don’t feel well or something is disturbing your frame of mind. Irritability can be because of physical problems or psychological disorders.  

Physical causes 

Some medical or health concerns that can lead to irritability are:

  • Pain, including chronic pain
  • Lack of sleep
  • Hunger
  • Low blood sugar
  • Dehydration
  • Hormone imbalances
  • Chronic illness 

Psychological causes

The psychological disorders that can be linked to irritability include: 

  • Depression
  • Stress
  • Anxiety
  • ADHD
  • PTSD
  • PMS
  • DMDD (disruptive mood dysregulation disorder)
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Substance abuse

Whatever the cause, irritability ramps things up in a situation. "When you’re feeling stressed, anxious, or depressed, irritability is one of the ways that those feelings come out," says Martin. "At the same time, irritability worsens those other mood states. Every little annoyance is magnified, and you have a lower threshold at which you become annoyed and irritated."

Can irritability be inherited?

A tendency to be irritable be something you are "born with," or you may model it after adults you saw as a child. "I think that it’s a nature or nurture type of thing," says Rainer. "Families have personalities just like individuals. I think as we age, if we have led a less-examined life, we become more like our family."

Irritability can have both physical and emotional symptoms. When you are irritable, you may have:

  • Agitation or restlessness
  • Fast heartbeat 
  • Sweating 
  • Fatigue 
  • Tense muscles 
  • Difficulty controlling your temper 

But not everyone is aware that they are irritable. You can become stuck in patterns you don’t recognize you have. "Unless you have some kind of feedback, you can end up living with irritability," says Rainer. "You may not like it, but it does feel familiar."

Irritability can affect your sense of well-being, but it can do more than that. It can disrupt important relationships and lead to tension and frequent conflicts in your family, among friends, or at work. Students’ grades may suffer because irritability gets in the way of motivation and the ability to concentrate. 

The more your irritability affects your life, the more frustrated you can feel, which leads to more irritability. "It’s a loop. When you push people away or your demands aren’t met, it increases the entire syndrome," says Rainer.

People who often feel irritable may use drugs or drink alcohol to help deal with the emotional distress. That may provide a temporary sense of relief, but it can turn into a cycle of abuse because the irritability returns. 

You may also overeat, smoke, or act in other unhealthy ways. Over time, the stress of irritability could make you more likely to get heart disease.

There are steps you can take to help you get back a sense of proportion and calm. A few practical ideas to break an irritable mood are:

  • Take a breath. Deep breathing can reset your nervous system and slow your mind.
  • Take a break. Go for a walk, a swim, take a yoga class, or listen to music.
  • Get enough sleep.
  • Learn relaxation techniques like meditation or progressive muscle relaxation.
  • Drink less caffeine.
  • Avoid alcohol.

"The first response is always deep breathing," says Rainer. "Then stop, look, listen. If someone has frequent irritability, I invite them to look for the pattern. Look for the themes, look for the narratives, and that can give you more options for change."

"Try to identify the triggers," says Martin. "When you know them, remember to try to take lots of breaks, go for short walks, engage in some deep breathing exercises, and try to socialize and communicate with people."

If you feel irritable a lot of the time or it doesn’t seem to be going away, think about talking to a counselor or psychologist. "If after two weeks, you are losing sleep, if your moods are getting darker," says Rainer, "that's a very good time to talk to a mental health professional."

It can take time and persistence to change how you react to the frustration or perceived insults that come with irritability. "Some people are just generally irritable," Rainer says. "If that is the case, that's like being left-handed or right-handed, and you have to do a great deal of behavioral work to override your natural default."

A professional can figure out whether you have other health concerns that could be making you feel short-tempered. These can be physical or psychological. Martin suggests you ask yourself a question: "Are you suffering consequences? If those things are happening, you may think 'This is a problem I need to try and solve, and I need help.'"

A therapist could help you lessen your irritability and the negative feelings and emotions that can go with it. Cognitive behavior therapy, or CBT, can be an effective way to change the patterns that make you irritable as well as angry, depressed, or anxious. Medication or other types of psychotherapy may also help.

  • Irritability is a feeling of annoyance or frustration that makes it easy to get angry. 
  • It can come with anxiety, depression, stress, or other mental health conditions. It can also go along with physical causes like pain or chronic illness. 
  • Almost everybody feels irritable sometimes, but when the feeling doesn’t go away or leads to outbursts, you may need help to manage it. 
  • You can learn techniques to help you lower your irritability on your own. But if you find you need help, contact your doctor or a mental health professional to talk about treatment choices.

Is irritability a symptom of anxiety? 

Yes, irritability can be a symptom of anxiety, as it can be a symptom of other mood disorders like depression. It can also be a symptom of more kinds of psychiatric conditions, like bipolar disorder. 

Is irritability a symptom of ADHD? 

It’s fairly common for people who’ve been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to be irritable. Hyperactivity, trouble sleeping, difficulty managing emotions, and other symptoms of ADHD can all play a part in irritability.

Can a lack of sleep cause irritability?

Fatigue and insomnia can definitely cause irritability. When you’re tired, it’s harder to control your emotions, and you could snap or act irritated in situations that you otherwise might not. 

How do you snap out of an irritable mood?

If you notice that you’re feeling easily annoyed and irritable, try to stop what you’re doing and take some slow, deep breaths. If you can, change your environment, by going for a walk or even just to another room. Learn some relaxation techniques like meditation or visualization. Try to figure out what triggered the mood – this may help you learn to avoid becoming irritable.