Irritability and anger

Irritability and anger are associated with all mood episodes, so it is important to monitor when and how anger manifests throughout the mood spectrum. This allows individuals to identify their personal triggers for bipolar anger.

Common triggers include the following:

• decreased sleep
• increased anxiety
• medication changes or lapses
• hormonal changes
• increased stress

When bipolar anger is connected to a hypomanic or manic mood episode, it can initially manifest as anxiety, impatience, irritability, and rudeness. In 2005, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston found that 40 percent of patients with bipolar had had significant levels of irritability within a one-week period. If not caught early and managed adequately, irritability can escalate to hostility, explosive outbursts, or sudden rage.