This ability of some people to completely annoy everyone for no apparent reason is a recognized scientific phenomenon. It's called "affective presence" and The Atlantic just investigated the subject in a fascinating article (hat tip to The Cut).
Many factors can cause or contribute to irritability, including life stress, a lack of sleep, low blood sugar levels, and hormonal changes. Extreme irritability, or feeling irritable for an extended period, can sometimes indicate an underlying condition, such as an infection or diabetes.
If everything annoys you all of the time, that's actually very normal, and the reason why probably has to do with your old friend, anxiety. "If someone is an anxious person, they're generally irritable and can feel thrown by things easily," says Andrea Bonior, PhD, clinical psychologist.
Then why are so many people annoying? The simple answer is that, despite all our natural inclination and practice, much of our self-presentation backfires. And it backfires because we too often misunderstand the tradeoff between self-promotion—blowing our own horn—and humility.
The word nuisance refers to someone or something that annoys you or that causes trouble for you. It's a nuisance to have to drive to the nearest shop. Her incessant texts are such a nuisance. He's a real nuisance.
Examples of Irritating or Annoying Behavior
Talking loudly on the phone. Always interrupting people. Being disruptive during group sessions. Leaving it to others to clear away after a meeting.
Because we see everything through the “me” lens — a lens that's not that useful or reflective of the larger reality — then we react to everyone else's actions and words as if they are a personal judgment of us or offense to us. So someone else's anger makes us angry or hurt.
Some people, known as empaths, have such high empathy that they seem to take on the feelings of others. If you're an empath, you might find yourself absorbing the emotions of those around you.
One of the best ways to ignore someone is to simply not engage. Don't talk to the person or engage in any nonverbal way. You can start out by saying that you won't be talking to him or her and then commence with not talking to the person. Skip all types of communication.
Always use “I” statements and avoid placing blame or accusing the person. For example, "I feel" or "I think." You may start the discussion by saying, “Listen, I need to let you know that I am feeling annoyed at your behavior.” You may then expand your thoughts and be honest about why you are annoyed by the person.
public nuisance. noun. someone who does things that annoy a lot of people.
Irritability is a feeling of agitation. Although, some describe “agitation” as a more severe form of irritability. Regardless of the term you use, when you're irritable, you're likely to become frustrated or upset easily. You might experience it in response to stressful situations.
It damages relationships because you no longer trust the person who has hurt you. Without trust, there is a loss of social connection. You start to feel isolated, and that makes you feel bad and sad. Your brain is a social organ.
A dark empath is a term that describes someone who exploits their ability to understand how other people think and feel. They can recognize another person's perspective while also showing signs of psychopathy, narcissism and Machiavellianism.
Toxic empathy is when a person over-identifies with someone emotions, feelings and takes them on as their own personal. Although, if the other individual's anxiety and stress keep you from your current tasks and responsibilities, it is called toxic empathy.
Emotional contagion is a form of social contagion that involves the spontaneous spread of emotions and related behaviors. Such emotional convergence can happen from one person to another, or in a larger group.
Try going for a walk, making a phone call, watching something you like on YouTube--anything that keeps your mind engaged and off the other person, giving you time to cool down and bring your emotions back to balance.
Whether rooted in a lack of confidence, past wounds, dependency, a deep sense of not deserving, or the anxiety of being, the fear of self-assertion lays the foundation for a tendency to feel controlled. The inherent need to please others may dominate and compete with your motivation to assert yourself.
Do you often feel deeply tuned in to the feelings of people around you? Do crowds make you uncomfortable? Would you (or the people closest to you) describe yourself as a sensitive person? If so, you may be an empath.