Most people experience occasional bouts of irritability, often coupled with feelings of anger and anxiety. However, when this condition becomes chronic and severe, it might indicate an underlying medical issue, such as anxiety or depression. Here’s what you need to know about this condition:

What is Irritability?

Irritability is a mental state characterized by a combination of feelings including irritability, anxiety, and anger. Individuals with this condition tend to be impatient and short-tempered, often reacting quickly with frustration to even minor issues. Abby Wilson, a licensed clinical social worker in Houston, suggests, “While anxiety is a natural human emotion, if experienced excessively, it’s likely a medical problem that needs treatment.” Persistent and disruptive episodes of moodiness or irritability can be signs of mental health disorders such as anxiety or depression. It can also be associated with physical problems like brain injury or sudden drug withdrawal.

Signs of Irritability

Irritability can manifest in various symptoms including restlessness, difficulty focusing attention, mood swings, particularly irritability and anxiety, aggressiveness, physical symptoms such as rapid heart rate, tension, and restlessness.

Causes of Irritability

There isn’t a single cause for this condition. According to Debra Stultz, MD, a psychiatrist in Barboursville, West Virginia, “The causes can be multifactorial, acute, or chronic.” Occasional irritability can stem from various common minor issues such as repetitive motions, financial problems, or work deadlines. Chronic irritability may also be caused by psychological and physical factors.

Psychological Causes

Irritability is a common feature in several mental disorders. Persistent mood irritability is frequently observed in individuals diagnosed with anxiety and depression. Some genetic research suggests that irritability may be an inherited trait for some individuals. Psychological causes of irritability may include depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnea, or sudden onset of severe sleepiness. It may also include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and dementia.

Physical Triggers

Physical discomfort, pain, or stress can also trigger irritability, says Dr. Sultinoff. “Physical restlessness is usually chronic, which, over time, affects the ability to handle the emotional and physical pain associated with feeling restless.” Causes of this condition may include chronic pain, various medications such as steroids, stimulants, antidepressants, and some antihypertensives. Other causes may involve pre-menstrual syndrome, brain injury, underactive or overactive thyroid, drug withdrawal, or low blood sugar.

Causes of Irritability in Children

Children showing signs of aggression are usually referred for mental health evaluations. Although moodiness is a normal response to stress, chronic and severe irritability may indicate a larger problem such as depression, anxiety, autism, bipolar disorder, ADHD, or oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). Children with ODD often display a condition in which they refuse to listen and obey anyone, seeing their peers, parents, and teachers as competitors. Some studies suggest that irritability in children may lead to anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder later in life.

Diagnosis of Irritability

While irritability is not considered a mental disorder and cannot be formally diagnosed, individuals experiencing these symptoms should seek help. “People experiencing irritability can benefit from mental health care services to manage these feelings,” says Wilson. Therapy can help individuals understand the underlying causes of irritability and may involve learning new coping mechanisms to better understand and manage emotions.

Treatment

A mental health practitioner will assess factors contributing to a person’s irritability. While there is no single treatment for irritability, approaches such as Parent Management Training (PMT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) have shown improvement in children.

Precautions

Though there’s no official cure for irritable mood symptoms, managing the condition involves several precautions:

• Avoid caffeine, smoking, and alcohol
• Ensure at least seven hours of uninterrupted sleep each night
• Identify and avoid triggers of irritability
• Identify activities that bring peace of mind, such as worship, exercise, reading, or listening to music
• Practice mindfulness

When to Consult a Doctor?

If you frequently experience severe irritability, or if these feelings significantly impact your daily life, it’s advisable to seek help from a medical professional.

This understanding of irritability can help individuals recognize its signs, seek appropriate treatment, and take necessary precautions to manage this condition effectively.

Every morning from my house, I witness a surprising but beautiful scientific process. As the Earth rotates on its axis, it brings this region into the light of the sun, filling it with electromagnetic energy. This light, which begins its journey from the electrons of countless atoms on the sun’s surface, is a result of the powerful and energy-generating process of fusion.

In the sun, hydrogen atoms fuse to form helium, releasing energy. Electrons absorb this energy and enter an excited state. When they return to their predetermined energy orbits around their respective nuclei, the sun’s energy is released.

When this light reaches the leaves of trees, it is absorbed by specific proteins in mesophyll cells. These proteins, functioning like tiny machines known as photosystems, break down water molecules, releasing electrons. The energy from these electrons is then used to combine carbon dioxide molecules to form simple carbohydrates such as glucose. This process stores the sun’s electromagnetic energy in chemical form, fueling the growth and development of all living things in the environment.

These organisms include animals such as snails, turtles, snakes, and birds like woodpeckers and eagles, as well as numerous insects. Observing this natural phenomenon in depth with scientific knowledge enhances the appreciation of it.

A telescope in Hawaii, operational since August last year, has released images of the sun. This telescope, the world’s most powerful solar telescope, can observe the sun at extreme depths. One image shows the chromosphere, the sun’s atmosphere, covering an area of 51,000 miles. Sethuraman Panchanathan, director of the National Science Foundation, says the telescope will help us learn much about our star.

Former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly confirmed that the sun’s color is actually white, not yellow. According to Kelly, the sun appears yellow due to the scattering of blue light in Earth’s atmosphere. Outside the atmosphere, the sun appears white. NASA explains that the atmosphere scatters more blue light than red, making the sun appear yellow to the human eye.

X-rays and gamma rays are filtered before reaching Earth. As sunlight passes through the atmosphere, more blue light is emitted, and red light reaches our eyes, making the sun and sky appear red at sunset. The sun also rotates on its axis from west to east, completing one cycle in about 27 days. This rotation was discovered by observing sunspots, which change positions constantly.

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The sun’s rotation varies: the polar regions take over 30 days to complete a cycle, while the equatorial regions take about 25 days. The sun tilts at 7.25 degrees relative to Earth’s orbit. There is even a sun, W0855, about 7 light years away, with a surface temperature of minus 13 degrees Celsius, known as the Cool Sun.

NASA astronomer David Carbino stated that there is a planet, GJ 1214B, entirely made of water, located 40 light years away. This ocean planet has no rocks or land and is four times larger than Earth.

Our solar system was formed about 4.571 billion years ago, with Earth forming 4.54 billion years ago. An asteroid shower occurred 3.9 billion years ago, bringing water to Earth. Scientists believe that water came from comets in the Kuiper Belt, which collided with Earth, initiating a cycle of cooling and water formation.

Earth appears as a beautiful blue marble from space, with white clouds and blue oceans. This water cycle has continued for billions of years, raising questions about the origin of water on Earth. Water is essential for life, and its presence on other planets may indicate the possibility of life.

Astronomers have found a rocky, Earth-like planet, K2-18b, 110 light years away. This planet, which orbits its star similarly to Earth, has water vapor in its atmosphere, suggesting the possibility of life.

In billions of years, the universe will meet its end, becoming infinitely vast and cold, and all intelligent beings will perish.

Muzaffarabad  – Under the Beneezer Kafalat program, 60,000 deserving women in the Azad Kashmir region have successfully received their funds through biometric verification, which accounts for 72% of the total eligible beneficiaries.

This significant achievement was announced by the Regional Director of the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) for Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Dr. Abdul Aziz Qureshi, during a Live E-Kachhari session with the concerned team.

Dr. Qureshi interacted with approximately 50 beneficiaries over the phone during the E-Kachhari, addressing queries from both current and prospective beneficiaries of BISP. He explained that the recent National Socio-Economic Registry (NSER) survey conducted by the government of Pakistan has identified individuals with a poverty score of less than 32 as eligible for the Beneezer Kafalat program.

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Eligibility is confirmed through messages sent to registered mobile phones from the number 8171, after which eligible women can collect their funds from Bank Al Falah’s designated retailers or points of sale through biometric authentication.

Dr. Qureshi highlighted that BISP maintains the largest economic and social database of all households in Pakistan, a product of scientifically designed surveys. This database is instrumental in planning various poverty alleviation and social protection policies and programs. He emphasized that, in addition to its targeted unconditional and conditional cash transfer programs, BISP uses the registry data to formulate effective social protection strategies.

During the E-Kachhari, the BISP team, including Deputy Director Special Initiatives Raja Sajjad, Stunt Director Bilal Khan, Media Officer Wajid Rafiq Chaudhary, and Assistant Inayatullah Khan, was present at the regional office, ready to address any queries from the public.

Thyroid eye disease (TED) is a condition that usually occurs in people who have an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) due to an autoimmune disorder such as Graves’ disease. Diet plays an important role in managing thyroid eye disease. Certain foods can aggravate the symptoms of hyperthyroidism. Additionally, eating foods you are sensitive to can affect your immune system and potentially cause hyperthyroidism.

Iodine

Excessive iodine intake can trigger hyperthyroidism, especially in the elderly or those with existing thyroid disease. Foods that are naturally high in iodine include seafood. Certain foods are often iodized, meaning iodine has been added to them. These include salt, bread, and dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt. Other iodine-rich foods include egg yolks, milk chocolate, and commercially prepared bakery products made with iodate conditioners.

Gluten

A significant number of people with thyroid disease also have celiac disease, an autoimmune disease in which eating gluten damages the small intestine. Gluten is the general name for the protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. Some patients with celiac disease report needing less thyroid hormone replacement after following a gluten-free diet for a period of time.

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One reason is that following a gluten-free diet allows the small intestine to heal, enabling better absorption of thyroid medication. A gluten-free diet may also reduce inflammation of the thyroid gland by lowering the overall inflammatory response.

Gluten is found in many foods such as pasta, bread, and baked goods, but it can also be present in unexpected foods like soups, sauces, and salad dressings. When shopping, be sure to check nutrition labels for gluten and choose gluten-free products. Many traditionally gluten-containing foods are now available in gluten-free versions.

Foods for a Healthy Thyroid

While certain foods can exacerbate thyroid disease, other foods contain specific nutrients that are important for a healthy diet. These include foods and drinks that are high in the following ingredients:

• Calcium: People with hyperthyroidism may have trouble absorbing calcium, which can cause bones to break down over time and increase the risk of developing osteoporosis. Therefore, eating foods that are high in calcium can help. Examples include green leafy vegetables, almonds, sardines, and okra. Dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt are also rich in calcium.
• Vitamin D: This important vitamin helps calcium be absorbed more easily. Most vitamin D is obtained from sunlight, but it can also be sourced from diet. Tuna, freshwater salmon, and cod are good sources of vitamin D and are also high in iodine.
• Magnesium: Magnesium helps the body absorb vitamin D. Additionally, insufficient magnesium intake can potentially worsen hyperthyroidism. Foods rich in magnesium include avocados, almonds, beans, and pumpkin seeds.
• Selenium: Selenium is essential for thyroid hormone production and helps protect the thyroid from damage caused by oxidative stress. A deficiency in selenium can cause the thyroid to malfunction. Rich sources of selenium include mushrooms, brown rice, sunflower seeds, and sardines.

Combining All Foods

When it comes to cooking, there are many delicious food options available. For breakfast, you can choose oatmeal. Oats are gluten-free but can be processed in facilities that also handle gluten-containing grains, so look for ‘gluten-free’ on the label to ensure no cross-contamination. Try eating oats with almonds or fresh fruit.

A good option for lunch is a fresh salad of leafy greens with oil and vinegar, topped with avocado slices and pumpkin seeds. Add some gluten-free crackers on the side for extra crunch. For dinner, grilled salmon with roasted broccoli and brown rice is a great choice. Just ensure that the salt used in food preparation is not iodized.