12 Traits Of People Who Are Easily Angered
Anger is a powerful and intense emotion that can be helpful and harmful, depending on how we express it.
Anger can inspire us to take action and defend ourselves or others. But it can also lead us down paths filled with conflicts, damaged relationships, and physical health problems.
Despite its negative consequences, many people struggle with managing their anger and get upset over minor things. Understanding why you get so mad and frustrated is the first step toward learning about your anger and then figuring out effective steps to managing it healthily.
Here are 12 traits and habits of people who get angry over little things.
1. They are anxious.
Stress and anxiety can make a person angry at little things by triggering the body’s “fight or flight” response—a natural survival mechanism designed to help us respond to perceived threats. When we experience stress or anxiety, our body releases powerful stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol that increase our heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration rate. These hormones prepare us to take action.
However, suppose these stressors are chronic or frequent. In that case, our bodies can become overwhelmed and may trigger the fight or flight response even in situations that are not actually dangerous. This can cause us to feel on edge and irritable, making us more prone to overreacting to minor triggers or annoyances.
For example, someone who is stressed about a work deadline may become angry at their partner for leaving the dishes in the sink or not putting their clothes away, even though it’s a minor issue in the grand scheme of things.
Stress and anxiety can also affect our ability to regulate our emotions and make it harder to think rationally or calmly in the moment. This can lead to a cruel cycle of escalating anger and frustration. As a result, we become increasingly reactive and prone to overreacting to small things.
2. They have unresolved anger.
Unresolved anger can have a significant impact on both our mental and physical well-being, as well as our relationships with others. When we have unresolved anger, it can manifest in various ways, such as irritability, aggression, or passive-aggressive behavior.
These behaviors can be damaging to our relationships with others, causing them to feel hurt, frustrated, or even unsafe around us.
Unresolved anger often stems from deeper emotional wounds or traumas we have not processed or dealt with. For example, someone who experienced childhood abuse may have unresolved anger that they are unaware of, but that manifests as aggression or irritability in their adult relationships.
When we have unresolved anger, it can also impact our ability to form healthy relationships with others. We may struggle to communicate effectively, become easily frustrated, or be unable to empathize with others, making it difficult to form meaningful connections or resolve conflicts in a healthy way.
3. They have unhealthy coping mechanisms.
When we don’t have healthy coping mechanisms to deal with our anger, we may turn to destructive or self-sabotaging behaviors to manage our emotions. This can include substance abuse, self-harm, or risky behaviors that endanger ourselves or others.
Unhealthy coping mechanisms, like substance abuse or self-harm, can also profoundly impact our physical and mental health which only further affects our ability to handle stress. Substance abuse, for example, can lead to addiction, physical health problems, and even death. Likewise, self-harm can lead to physical injury and also contribute to mental health problems like depression and anxiety.
It’s a vicious cycle. People use these unhealthy behaviors to cope with feelings of stress and anger, but they only exacerbate the problem in the longer term.
4. They have undiagnosed mental health issues.
Undiagnosed mental health issues can often be the underlying cause of why a person may get angry at the little things. Mental health issues like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and personality disorders can all contribute to feelings of anger and irritability.
Depression, for example, can cause a person to feel hopeless, helpless, and angry. Individuals who suffer from depression may feel frustrated and irritable with themselves and others, leading them to lash out at seemingly insignificant things.
Additionally, depression can cause physical symptoms like fatigue and sleep disturbances, which can lead to irritability and impatience.
Similarly, anxiety disorders can cause individuals to feel more easily upset or irritated. Anxiety disorders can cause people to feel constantly on edge, leading them to perceive small things as threats and to react with a fight-or-flight response.
In addition, anxiety can cause physical symptoms like muscle tension and restlessness, which can exacerbate anger and irritability, making the person more prone to lashing out about little things.
Bipolar disorder is another mental health condition that can contribute to feelings of anger and irritability. Individuals with bipolar disorder experience extreme shifts in mood, including periods of intense irritability and anger. These periods are often called manic episodes and can last several days or weeks.
Personality disorders, like borderline personality disorder or narcissistic personality disorder, might also contribute to feelings of anger and irritability. Individuals with these disorders may have difficulty regulating their emotions. As a result, they may be prone to intense outbursts of anger or frustration. They may also struggle with interpersonal relationships, leading to frustration and anger toward others.
Undiagnosed mental health issues can be especially challenging because individuals may not be aware that their anger and irritability are rooted in an underlying mental health condition. This can lead to shame or guilt and difficulties forming and maintaining healthy relationships.
5. They have Type A personality traits.
Personality traits are important to consider when people get angry at little things. Some personality traits, such as being easily frustrated or having a short temper, can make individuals more prone to experiencing feelings of anger and irritability.
For example, individuals with Type A personalities are often driven and competitive but may also be easily frustrated and prone to anger. They may become irritable when things don’t go according to plan or when they perceive others as not meeting their high standards.
6. They have low frustration tolerance.
Low frustration tolerance is another personality trait contributing to anger and irritability. Individuals with low frustration tolerance may become easily overwhelmed by everyday stressors and perceive them as major setbacks. This can cause feelings of anger and irritability directed toward themselves and others.
It’s important to note that personality traits are not necessarily fixed and can be modified through therapy or other interventions.
For example, cognitive-behavioral therapy can help individuals identify and modify negative thought patterns and behaviors that contribute to feelings of anger and irritability. Additionally, mindfulness practices like meditation can help individuals learn to regulate their emotions and respond to stressors more adaptively.
7. They are experiencing hormonal imbalances.
Hormonal imbalances can also cause a person to get angry at little things. Hormones are chemical messengers in the body that regulate various bodily functions, including mood and emotions.
When hormones are imbalanced, it can lead to mood and behavior changes, including snapping at people, feeling annoyed, and getting mad. Hormonal imbalances can make it more challenging to know if you are overreacting or not.
For example, changes in estrogen levels can affect mood and emotions in women. Fluctuations in estrogen levels during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, or menopause can lead to irritability and mood swings, making a person more prone to anger at little things.
Basically, everything annoys you and gets on your nerves. Similarly, imbalances in testosterone levels in men can also contribute to feelings of anger and frustration.
Thyroid hormone imbalances can affect mood and emotions as well. For example, an overactive thyroid, known as hyperthyroidism, can lead to anxiety, irritability, and anger. Conversely, an underactive thyroid, known as hypothyroidism, can lead to feelings of fatigue and depression, which can exacerbate feelings of irritability and anger.
In addition, cortisol, the primary stress hormone, can also contribute to feelings of anger and irritability. Chronic stress can cause cortisol levels to remain elevated, leading to feelings of irritability and mood changes. This can make a person more prone to reacting with anger to minor stressors or triggers.
8. They have a poor diet or lack of sleep.
Poor diet and lack of sleep can negatively affect a person’s mood and emotional regulation, leading to increased irritability, frustration, and anger.
Additionally, a diet high in processed foods, sugar, and unhealthy fats, and low in nutrient-dense foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, can lead to imbalances in neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which regulate mood and emotions.
When these neurotransmitters are disrupted, a person may experience mood swings, irritability, and difficulty regulating emotions.
Additionally, a poor diet can lead to inflammation in the body, which has been linked to increased stress and anxiety levels. Chronic inflammation can also affect the function of the brain, leading to changes in mood and behavior. Lack of sleep can negatively affect mood and emotional regulation as well.
When a person doesn’t get enough sleep, their body produces less serotonin, which can lead to feelings of irritability and aggression. Lack of sleep also increases cortisol levels, making a person more reactive to stressors and, therefore, more likely to become angry at little things.
Furthermore, sleep deprivation can impair cognitive function, making it harder to think clearly and make sound decisions. This can contribute to increased frustration and anger when dealing with everyday stressors.
9. They are overwhelmed.
Feeling overwhelmed or emotional flooding can lead to a sense of helplessness and being out of control, making a person more easily triggered and prone to anger at little things. Here are some reasons why:
Reduced ability to cope with stress: When people feel overwhelmed, their ability to cope with stressors can be compromised. Small stressors can feel like significant challenges, leading to frustration and anger.
Increased sense of pressure: Feeling overwhelmed can also increase a person’s sense of pressure to get things done. This pressure can create a sense of urgency, making even minor setbacks feel like major obstacles.
Lack of perspective: When a person feels overwhelmed, it can be hard to keep things in perspective. This means small issues can be blown out of proportion, leading to anger and frustration.
Negative self-talk: Feeling overwhelmed can also lead to negative self-talk, where people may tell themselves they’re incapable of handling things or not doing enough. This negative self-talk can create a sense of anger and frustration toward oneself and others.
Physical tension: Feeling overwhelmed can also lead to physical tension in the body, making a person more prone to anger and irritability. These overwhelming feelings can lead to a sense of helplessness, increased pressure, a lack of perspective, negative self-talk, and physical tension, all of which can contribute to anger and frustration.
10. They have experienced trauma.
Past trauma can hugely impact a person’s emotional well-being and lead to negative emotions, including anger. When a person has experienced trauma, they may get angry at little things that others may not perceive as a big deal. Here are some reasons why past trauma can cause angry feelings:
Hypervigilance: People who have experienced trauma often develop a heightened sense of vigilance or hypervigilance. This means they constantly scan their environment for potential threats, even if no obvious ones exist. As a result, they may become easily triggered by seemingly harmless situations, such as a loud noise or an unexpected touch.
Emotional dysregulation: Past trauma can also lead to emotional dysregulation, where a person has difficulty controlling emotions. This can cause them to become overly reactive to minor stressors, leading to feelings of anger or frustration.
Triggers: Trauma can also create triggers and reminders of the traumatic event that can cause a person to feel overwhelmed and upset. These triggers can be anything from a particular smell to a specific word or phrase. When triggered, a person may become angry or agitated without fully understanding why.
Negative beliefs: Trauma can also create negative beliefs about oneself, others, and the world. For example, someone abused may believe they are unworthy of love or that everyone is out to hurt them. These negative beliefs can create a sense of anger and resentment toward others. They can cause a person to become easily triggered by small stressors.
Physical responses: Trauma can also lead to physical responses, such as a raised heart rate, sweating, and muscle tension. These physical responses can make a person feel like they are under attack, even if no immediate threat exists. As a result, they may become angry or aggressive toward others in self-defense.
Unresolved emotions: Trauma can leave a person with unresolved emotions, such as anger, sadness, and fear. When these emotions are not processed or addressed, they can surface at unexpected times and in response to seemingly minor stressors.
11. They feel inadequate, insecure, or have low self-esteem.
Feelings of inadequacy, insecurity, and low self-esteem can profoundly impact a person’s emotional well-being, causing them to be easily angered by even the most minor things. When a person does not feel secure in their sense of self, they may become hypersensitive to perceived threats to their self-esteem, causing them to lash out in anger.
One of the primary ways that feelings of inadequacy can lead to anger is through a sense of powerlessness. When people feel powerless or out of control, they may become frustrated and angry, often taking their frustration out on others. This can happen when a person feels that they are not meeting their own expectations or the expectations of others, leading to a sense of failure or inadequacy.
Another way that feelings of inadequacy can lead to anger is through a sense of injustice. When people feel that they have been treated unfairly or unjustly, they may become angry and resentful.
For example, this can happen when a person feels that they are not being recognized for their efforts or that others are being given preferential treatment over them.
Insecurity can also play a significant role in causing a person to be easily angered. When a person is insecure, they may feel that they’re not worthy of respect or attention, causing them to become defensive and irritable. This can happen when a person faces a situation that challenges their sense of self-worth, such as criticism or rejection.
Low self-esteem is another factor that can make a person angry at little things. When a person has low self-esteem, they might constantly doubt themselves and their abilities, causing them to become easily frustrated and irritated. This can happen when a person feels that they are not good enough (low self-worth) or that they don’t measure up to the expectations of others.
12. They need to be in control.
Feeling the need to control everything can make a person easily angered by even the most minor things. When people feel like they are not in control, they may experience anxiety or fear, manifesting as anger, when they encounter a situation they cannot control.
One way the need for control can lead to anger is through a fear of failure. When people feel like they need to control everything to succeed, they may become easily frustrated or angry when things do not go according to plan. This can happen when a person faces unexpected challenges or obstacles or feels like they are not progressing toward their goals.
Another way that the need for control can lead to anger is through fear of uncertainty. When a person feels like they cannot predict or control the future, they may become anxious or fearful, manifesting as anger when they encounter a situation that is outside their control.
For example, this can happen when a person faces change or uncertainty, such as a job loss or a relationship ending.
The need for control can also lead to anger when someone feels like they are not being heard or understood. When people feel they need to control everything to meet their needs, they may become easily frustrated or angry when others do not comply with their wishes. This can happen in personal or professional relationships when someone feels they are not being respected or valued.
How does anger affect you?
Anger can affect a person in several ways. First, it is an intense emotion that can significantly impact a person’s physical and emotional well-being. When it is not managed effectively, it can lead to many negative consequences for the individual, their relationships, and their overall quality of life.
One way that anger can affect a person is through its impact on physical health. When a person is easily annoyed and cannot calm down when angry, their body releases a boost of hormones, like adrenaline and cortisol, which increases their heart rate and blood pressure while also causing muscle tension.
Over time, chronic anger can lead to various health complications, like heart disease, high blood pressure, and chronic pain.
Anger can also severely harm mental health and lead a person to partake in destructive and negative self-talk, irrational thinking, and impulsive behaviors. These behaviors often lead to feelings of guilt, regret, and shame. While dealing with this, they might also have to deal with damaged personal relationships due to their anger.
All in all, anger, regardless of the source, can be tough to deal with. Learning skills to control your emotions can significantly improve your mental health.
