Constant Bad Mood is Not Normal

We have always thought about it, but now, for some time now, researchers from various areas of knowledge have ensured that it’s not just a hypercritical perception of people with this behavior, but of a scientific reality. That’s why they warn that those who seem to be angry all the time, who get excited all the time with the slightest reason and respond harshly, may suffer from an emotional disorder.

Yes, because depending on the context, living is like being on a roller coaster  ride and sometimes we are just fine and other times not so much. We must bear in mind that feelings are not linear or perpetual, and we also react. Many times afterwards we realize that a response, for example, or a gesture or a look, was excessive, and we may try to make amends while life goes on and tempers boils down. But it’s also true that if having an episode of discomfort is common, we should not make it a natural thing.

They call it a social bad mood, it’s quite widespread in society, and it requires psychological attention and understanding of the environment.

This feeling of annoyance, of variable violence, is usually generated from a stimulus, and what’s interesting is that it’s one of the most primitive postures of the human being —even of animals— in the face of a situation that poses a threat.

We meet irritated people all the time, be it a stranger on the street or a family member or friend in the closest circle. I refer to those who, beyond social, economic and personal problems, those we meet day in and day out, do not really have a compelling reason to get excited and react aggressively, that is a disturbing behavior.

It is easy to tell because they reveal their physical manifestations. An angry person probably can't manage to soften their facial expression, and sometimes their body language, too. This almost always happens due to poor observation of reality that makes them misinterpret what they see and, consequently, they do not find self-control either, they never manage to measure their actions in advance, they don’t even think about the consequences, they just act.

According to experts, negative social humor can resemble bipolarity because people sometimes go from a state of depression to being aggressive, and this scenario, repeated, little by little deteriorates behavior, even the psyche.

What should we do if the common thing is that they don’t go to a specialist on their own initiative? It’s up to us, first, to understand that they probably have a problem that forces them, perhaps, to be violent; second, never respond defensively but try to make them reason, apply a bit of psychology with a higher dose of patience.

If we are able to realize that any inconsequential event upsets us and almost immediately generate a harsh response, we have half of the problem solved. Noticing it is the first step.

For ourselves and others, it’s convenient to stimulate positive thinking, educate tolerance; as well as practicing channeling frustration in various peaceful ways to avoid conflict, not hurting other people, and not feeling vulnerable. This does not mean that we should repress the feeling of anger, but rather get to know how to handle it in order to experience it in a less traumatic way.

If we have realized that there is a difficulty, we must try to act consciously, think before responding, count to ten or take deep breathes several times. It is very sure that later we will not be so angry. We may not succeed at first or it may take a lot of effort, but over time we can get results or at least slow the momentum.

However, it’s good to let off steam and not bottle it inside because even bottling it can affect your physical health. The angry person needs, at least, to tell what he feels to relieve tension. Reflecting can help understanding and control that emotion so that its response is less intense.

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff