Feeling Irrationally Upset Over Little Things? Here's What You Should Do.

Maria Korneeva via Getty Images Experts share just exactly how we can let go of the little frustrations that are stressing us out. “If someone finds themselves repeatedly becoming upset over seemingly small events, it can be an indicator of underlying stress,” said licensed marriage and family therapist Becky Stuempfig. “Everyone has ‘off’ days at times where even the smallest of problems seem to bring irritation, but if there’s a pattern of big reactions to relatively minor events, it can be a red flag that something deeper is causing this irritability.” She pointed to a wide array of issues that might be behind your low emotional tolerance ― relationship struggles, financial instability, food insecurity, past unprocessed trauma, grief, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, sleep issues, isolation, undiagnosed mental health conditions and more. “Recognize that your ‘emotional bucket’ is getting filled quickly and take some time to reflect on why that might be,” said clinical psychologist Zainab Delawalla. “Two common themes that can result in chronic irritability is resentment toward others as well as difficulty communicating about getting one’s emotional needs met, factors that are often interrelated,” Stuempfig said.