Habits that are Secretly Making us Irritable

We have enough of material to obsess on, as studies reveal that our brains are hardwired to dwell on the bad. Some of the ways we try to deal with these negative emotions actually end up making things worse. To make matters worse, we often make the issue we were unconsciously attempting to fix even worse.

Psychotherapist Susan Zinn of Santa Monica, California, advises, “We have to think about how to replace them with a higher-value coping ability,” rather than giving in to these mindless routines.

Here are some of the most typical ways that people’s irritability might be exacerbated by their own lack of coping mechanisms, as well as suggestions for developing those mechanisms. Here are some of the habits that are secretly making us irritable. 

Unhealthy Coping Habits That End Up Hurting More Than Helping

We all have our own methods for handling stressful circumstances and intense emotions. Everyone of us has our own unique set of coping mechanisms, which are either consciously adopted (I’ll have one more glass of wine to get me through Wednesday) or unconsciously enacted (I’ll act as if I’m alright even though I’m about to totally lose it).

1. Not Eating When You’re Hungry

There is a genuine thing called “hanger” that happens when you don’t eat when you’re hungry. Stress hormone cortisol is released into the bloodstream in response to low blood sugar.

Canada’s novelist, psychologist, and trauma recovery specialist Heather Kent wrote that low energy causes people “irritable, lethargic, sluggish, and angry….” Our tolerance thresholds have lowered.”

She went on to say that it could affect your capacity to focus, and hence your performance, adding to your frustration. You could, for example, set an alarm for every few hours to see if you’re getting hungry, or you might schedule meal breaks like meetings. These are the habits that are secretly making us irritable. 

2. Binge-Watching Emotionally-Taxing TV at Night

You turn on your favorite crime series to binge-watch right before night, when you should be winding down your mind and body. While some of us find these broadcasts completely unobtrusive, for others, watching them might leave us feeling irritated or even melancholy long after we’ve stopped watching. This is most troublesome at night and can impair sleep.

We stay up later because we’re distracted by TV, and then we realize, ‘Oh, crap, I have to get up in five hours,’ as Kent put it. That occurs far more often than I’d like…. If we get a bad night’s sleep, you will be cranky the next day. To combat this, save the intensely emotional shows for a gloomy Saturday and choose instead for something more soothing in the evenings.

3. Staying Inside All Day

While you’re busy, it’s easy to lose track of time during the day. This boring routine may be irritating if you’ve reached the end of the day or several days without leaving the house. Zinn proposed a method proven by science to lessen morning irritability: Take a walk outside within the first half an hour after waking up to expose yourself to natural light.

4. Drinking Too Much (And for the Wrong Reasons)

In the heat of the moment, nothing beats a good cocktail or a glass of relaxing wine. While consuming alcohol in moderation can be a delicious way to relax and unwind, many people have turned to alcohol as a source of solace during the past several months of physical isolation and mental disquiet. You shouldn’t use alcohol as a crutch to get through life.

5. Letting Yourself Binge—On Everything

Self-care and stress relief necessitate the practice of allowing oneself to appreciate and indulge in something without condemning oneself for doing so. Yet moderation is essential, and pampering yourself does not mean giving yourself free rein all the time. “Do you frequently forget about the real world in favor of your phone and 400th Netflix episode?

Cleaning out the fridge? It’s understandable if you want to stuff your face in order to shut out the whirlwind of negative feelings that is likely passing through your mind right now: anxiety, fear, and a general sense of impending doom “the meditation instructor, senior director of NYU’s Center for Spiritual Life, and contributor to Pause + Purpose, Yael Shy, says.

Conclusion

Despite attempts to sweep the issue of mental illness under the rug, it is important to recognize that it is a very real condition. Because mental health is just as essential as physical health, getting help when you need it is crucial.

If you don’t want to be handicapped to the point where normal daily activities become difficult, you should avoid this. These were the habits that are secretly making us irritable.