Getting angry is a natural response that can arise in negative situations as an expression of your feelings towards something that has hurt, threatened, or made you feel unfairly treated. Anger is not necessarily a negative thing. It allows you to express your negative feelings and encourages you to find a solution to the problem at hand. But what about unprovoked anger?
Why people get angry for no reason
Angry can be a problem when these feelings make you feel aggressive for no reason or when anger becomes uncontrollable, overwhelming, and violent. There are many reasons why people get angry for no reason, and it can be a mild condition or a serious condition that indicates a mental health disorder.
There are several reasons why people get angry for no reason:
Stress
Being stressed is one of the reasons why people get angry easily. Various things can make someone feel stressed, such as problems at work, school, college, or problems with their partner and friends.
Stress can come in many forms and sometimes make people lose control of their lives, feel inferior, and feel unheard and threatened. When you face many problems or stress, it can be harder to control your emotions. This can make you irritable and take it out on your surroundings.
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Lack of sleep
A lack of sleep or fatigue can affect and lower our tolerance to stress. When the body is sleep-deprived, the brain will also find it difficult to concentrate and think clearly. If this condition persists, it may stress you out, make it difficult to control your emotions, and become irritable.
Being sad
People experiencing sadness or mourning tend to be more sensitive. Feelings of sadness take some time to process. The world continues to go on, and even though you are sad, sometimes you are required to do other activities as long as your sadness is not resolved.
It also happens when someone we love leaves us for good. Having a loved one leave, life starting to change, and the world feeling different can make you irritable.
Feeling ignored/neglected/abandoned
People sometimes feel ignored or unheard in social or work environments. This condition makes people feel marginalized, triggering stress and pent-up anger. Eventually, if this condition persists, it can lead to explosive anger.
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Trauma
Someone who has been traumatized can also get angry without cause. Trauma is a major event in a person's life that involves many emotions, and sometimes one form of emotional release is anger. Some events that can trigger trauma include childhood trauma, intergenerational trauma, and sexual abuse experienced.
Mental health issues
Unexplained outbursts of anger can also be a mental health symptom or a bodily reaction to the mental health treatment process you are undergoing. Mental health problems can make you feel overwhelmed, so sometimes undergoing mental health treatment is often frustrating and triggers anger.
Several mental health disorders that can trigger anger include:
- Threshold personality disorder:
A mental disorder characterized by emotional instability, difficulty regulating moods, and intense mood swings. It also causes a person to have difficulty managing or controlling their anger. - Anxiety disorders:
Feelings of restlessness, nervousness, anxiety, and worry that something will keep happening indefinitely. - Depression:
Anger is rarely associated with depression, but people who are depressed may feel angry at themselves or their world. - ADHD:
People with ADHD tend to have difficulty coping with intense emotions, including anger. - Other mental health issues such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED), Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD), and Conduct Disorder:
Many people diagnosed with these conditions experience angry outbursts, which may result in violence, aggression, or other challenging behaviors.
While anger is a natural and healthy emotion, excessive and unwarranted anger can cause psychological and physical problems for yourself and others. If you feel that you often experience anger for no apparent reason, then you should see a doctor. You can also use the consultation feature on the Ai Care application to get health information.
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- dr. Yuliana Inosensia
Radhakrishnan, R. (2023). Why Am So I Angry for No Reason?. Available from: https://www.medicinenet.com/why_am_so_i_angry_for_no_reason/article.htm
NHS Inform. Why Am I so Angry?. Available from: https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/mental-wellbeing/anger-management/why-am-i-so-angry/
American Psychological Association. (2023). Available from: https://www.apa.org/topics/anger/control
Bartel, J. Why Am I So Angry? 10 Reasons From a Therapist. Available from: https://www.choosingtherapy.com/why-am-i-so-angry/