Skip to main content Skip to bottom nav

What's the best way to cope with being irritable/easily annoyed?

15 Answers
Last Updated: 03/22/2022 at 10:05pm
Take the first step toward feeling better
Begin your therapy journey today and receive $25 off (use code 25OFF7C)
Moderated by

D'Anna Davis, LCSW

Clinical Social Work/Therapist

The journey to where we are today included many ups, downs, twists and turns. Healing from the events of life is crucial in achieving mental health and happiness.

Top Rated Answers
Profile: justkismet
justkismet
March 25th, 2015 3:57pm
For a temporary solution, you can always seek something that will ease your mind and distract you, something you enjoy doing, whether it is playing a game, taking a walk, etc. You could even try other relaxation techniques such as meditation if you think it would suit you. But perhaps it would be an even better idea to deal with that anger at its source, and think about what makes you angry, why it makes you feel that way, and what you can do yourself to deal with it.
Profile: caringCara11
caringCara11
April 14th, 2015 8:51pm
We become irritable/annoyed for many reasons - hunger, exhaustion, etc. For me, the same physiological symptoms seen with irritability are often seen in anxiety (e.g. increased heart rate, sweating, feeling tense, etc.) and irritability can be combated in the same way. Try some deep breathing exercises along with mindfulness. Also, when you encounter an irritating person/situation, try to think about it/them from a different perspective that may help you quell your irritation. For example, if someone is late to an appointment, this can be very annoying, especially if you've made special provisions to be there on time. It can be easy to get mad! Perhaps consider that person's own difficulties that day - maybe they felt sick, or their cat threw up on the floor - anything could have happened! I hope this helps you find some peace with your irritability!
Anonymous
April 15th, 2015 7:43am
when you are really getting irritated with someone or something, you can walk away, try and divert your mind to something else, or just do something that would make you smile... my sister knows i hate when people think that when shouting it becomes the best way to prove a point, so she always does that to annoy me, or maybe change the tv station when i was watching a program , instead of making her satisfied, i start enjoying her show, even if its boring, or sometimes just walk out of the room.. they say make best of what you got? i always have time to do assignment if she does that.
Profile: FeatherIce25
FeatherIce25
April 17th, 2015 5:07pm
Don't judge. Think before you act/speak. Try to be forgiving. Don't mind small things. Laugh aloud. Live peacefully.
Anonymous
May 3rd, 2015 6:48pm
Take time for yourself and breathe. work out what it is that is annoying you and take yourself away from it.
Anonymous
May 13th, 2015 9:09pm
This happens to me an awful lot. I found either breathing exercises or removing myself from the situation is the most effective technique.
Profile: Mgnesium
Mgnesium
May 28th, 2015 4:03am
Take a walk. Breathe in fresh air and try to take some space away from people while you calm down so that you do not lash out, causing further trouble and possible disaster. This doesn't mean that you should isolate yourself for elongated periods of time but rather you should take some time for yourself and your problems. When you're alone, try to write (or speak aloud to yourself, if that helps you) about your feelings and frustrations so that you can pinpoint what is the cause of your stress and annoyance. After successfully identifying that, attempt to reason solutions or talk to others, whether they be friends of listeners on 7CupsofTea. If you're having trouble concentrating on what's causing you irritation and annoyance, talking with another person can likewise help you calm down or pinpoint the problem. Good luck! :)
Anonymous
August 23rd, 2016 2:12pm
Hello, seems like you're looking for ways to manage your anger. Smile can change your mood instantly. Whenever you're annoyed or irritated, just smile and nod. :)
Profile: keepingyououtt
keepingyououtt
August 30th, 2016 11:37am
Listen to some calm music, watch some funy cat videos, have a nap, eat chocolate. It all depends of the person...
Profile: Nonpoint77
Nonpoint77
January 3rd, 2017 11:18pm
What I have found when dealing with being irritable/easily annoyed is to look at what triggers it and see if I can find a solution to change it so the next time I don't have those triggers come back. You can also write down those things that trigger your irritability/annoyed symptoms and how you can respond to them in a positive way.
Anonymous
May 28th, 2018 5:13pm
Meditate, think more about your positive aspects, calm down, sleep over the annoyance. It is difficult to cope up, but eventually you will be able to cope up.
Profile: Teaandmarmitetoast
Teaandmarmitetoast
January 29th, 2019 8:18pm
Ask yourself why it is taking so little to annoy you. You might need to ask why 6 times in total to get to the root cause. Also, consider what kind of impact it’s having on the people around you. Chances are that when you take a step back you may decide that this behaviour is not serving you or your relationships particularly well. If you allow yourself to get disproportionately irritated by relatively small things, where would that leave you if something really serious happened? You don’t necessarily need to repress your negative feelings. Instead you can acknowledge that you feel irritated or annoyed and make a deliberate decision not to let that get the better of you. Find a sympathetic friend who you can sound off to and/or consider writing things down. Patience and resilience come with practice. There is plenty to be annoyed about in life but make sure you balance things out by also giving attention to the things that make you happy and at peace.
Anonymous
December 24th, 2019 7:05pm
hmm well first you must understand what motivates you to get annoyed easily, that questions is not easy to answer, and it differs from one person to another, people in general have different reasons for what they do, and getting annoyed can be justified of course because some reasons are convincing enough to have you simply be disturbed, or annoyed, but to come back to the main issue is being annoyed easily in other words simplest reasons having enough effect on you to get you annoyed, now if you want this to stop, you can do this, once you actually get annoyed stop, just grit your teeth and ask yourself, what caused me to do this? you will find that the reason is very absurd at most cases, if you weren't convinced by your own explanation but still are looking for a solution is to take a very deep breath, and take a walk, i always recommend this, take a walk whenever things gets complicated and feelings get the best of you, and during this walk always think about you, and why you chose to leave, if you want a permanent solution, then you must always look for a new mindset, that's what i have
Anonymous
November 2nd, 2021 11:16pm
Seek help and take deep breaths. Also, maybe take anger management classes if it gets bad. Make sure you also do things to cope/calm down once you feel this way. I use fidget toys or a stress reliever app for this sort of thing but, different people use different things. If you feel none of these are working then seek a specialist and surely they can help you.
Profile: lovelyHope20
lovelyHope20
March 22nd, 2022 10:05pm
By being patient with yourself. Often people will focus on the source of the annoyances. That is of course a thing you can try to change or work with, but I have learned that these feelings come from within. They are a reaction that says more about you than about your circumstances. And that is good news because you can work with this yourself. When you look at the wheel of emotion, the words you picked fall under anger. That means they are a version of anger. Psychology says that anger is a secondary emotion. This means that is is a cover for something else. Your job is to start to figure out which feelings are underneath those feelings of annoyance. Are you being ignored and do you feel hurt by that? Did you not know what to do and did tat make you feel ashamed? There are many options. Emotions have different functions. Anger has as a job to protect you and let you know which boundaries have been or are about to be violated. It is a good thing that you feel these feelings because it means that you have boundaries. Once you figure out what you are feeling and why you are feeling it, you can come up with a plan. You can learn words to set boundaries verbally when people are crossing your boundaries. You can learn how to avoid sitauting that set you up for having your boundaries crossed and in that become irritated. You can ask for help. Many good options. Lastly there is a thing you can do with your body. Emotions have a strength, a force in them and especially anger has that in your body. You need to figure out how to guide that energy. Not every situation has a good way to diffuse there feelings. you cant always get up and leave a situation to scream int a pillow. Learn what works for you. Some people write, some breathe trough what they feel, some have fidget items to help them direct this energy. Everyone is different in this. Be patient with yourself in learning this and in feeling all of it. Your feelings are valid and deserve to be felt. You are valid. And an awesome human being.