Not only sadness indicates depression, but also irritability

Irritability is not usually considered when talking about the symptoms of depression, but it is actually quite common for it to occur in affected people. We explain it to you.

Not only the continuous and intense sadness or, rather, the hopeless, discouraged or “as in a well” It is indicative of depression. In fact, sadness as a symptom may not manifest itself in a depressed person, its first cousin being irritability.

Yes. As strange as this statement may seem A depressed person may not appear sad but may appear irritable, unstable or frustrated. Somatic complaints, bad moods, aches, physical pain, emotional roller coasters, etc. All of this can replace sadness as a symptom of an emotional problem such as depression.

Thus, we could say that manifestations of anger such as insensitivity, irritability, aggressiveness and “authoritarian” behavior are sometimes cries asking to get out of the well of blackness in which depression drowns us.

Irritability as a diagnostic criterion for depression

According to criteria from both the Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders in the latest version (DSM-5) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), a clinical diagnosis of depression can be made if the person, among other conditions, shows irritability. instead of sadness.

That is, a constantly moody person who shows persistent anger, a tendency to respond to events with outbursts of anger or insulting others, or an exaggerated feeling of frustration over unimportant things, may be in a depressed mood. pathological.

In children and adolescents, an irritable or unstable mood may occur rather than a sad and discouraged mood. This must be differentiated from what is considered the pattern of “spoiled child” with irritability in the face of frustrations.

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However, it should be noted that just as sadness by itself is not a sufficient criterion for depression and it needs other connotations to be considered pathological, the same happens with irritability.

Specifically, to make a diagnosis of depression according to the aforementioned classification systems, these two conditions separately and of sufficient intensity are necessary but not sufficient. Therefore, we must consider it this way, lest we understand that it is enough to be sad or irritated to be depressed.

Sadness and irritability are unjustly treated emotional states

Sadness and irritability in and of themselves are healthy emotional states., because they intend to inform us that there is something that bothers us and is harming us. They only become pathological when they distort our lives and greatly deteriorate our personal, social and work spheres for a long time.

With irritability we generally have to be careful because through it we can do anything without caring if something negative happens. So, A persistent state tinged with this characteristic instability can be devastating.

Losing your temper easily, making unpleasant comments, being intolerant, showing impatience, feeling nervous, showing agitation, having inappropriate reactions, starting to distance yourself from certain people for being unpleasant, etc. All of this is indicative that something is not right in our lives and that we have to take action.

Thus, the anger or irritability that manifests when we suffer from depression is a way of externalizing what is felt and not expressed. Let’s say the depressed person has the feeling of being oppressedof wearing a scarf that weighs tons around his neck.

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This makes her feel sunken, she feels that her vitality is fading and that scarf does not allow her to walk, hindering her life and decompensating her mood. This reflects the instability and difficulty that these people have in carrying out activities in their daily lives.

Thus, with the little strength that that dark scarf allows them to maintain, they manage at most to eat something and sleep. This is the weight of anguish, which translates into a suffocating reality of sadness or irritation depending on the person and, of course, depending on the moment.