News Psychology

Some irritability is normal. Here’s when it’s not

Scientists are honing in on crankiness — and its origins — as a mental health indicator

A trio of images shows everyday iritating things: bumper-to-bumper cars on the left, a woman scowling at her cell phone screen in the middle and dirty dishes piled up in a sink on the right.

From traffic jams to frustrating calls to dirty dishes piling up in the sink, little things can spark a feeling of irritation. Researchers explain when that annoyance tips into a mental health challenge and science-backed ways to alleviate it.

L-R: Jackyenjoyphotography/Getty Images; fizkes/Getty Images; Svetlana Repnitskaya/Getty Images

By Katarina Zimmer

This is a human-written story voiced by AI.