A short temper can feel like an uncontrollable storm, often leaving behind regret and damaged relationships. But just like any emotional challenge, it’s possible to manage and control your temper with the right tools and mindset. Learning to recognize triggers, practicing emotional regulation, and building healthy communication habits can help turn moments of frustration into opportunities for growth. While consulting a mental health professional can be highly beneficial, identifying and leveraging your unique strengths through a comprehensive assessment like the HIGH5 test can also be a powerful first step. By gaining insights into your natural talents and positive personality traits, you can develop strategies to channel your intensity in more constructive ways. The HIGH5 test empowers you to play to your strengths, cultivating greater self-awareness and emotional intelligence to better manage impulses and respond more productively to challenging situations. This article will cover the definition of a short temper and how you can leverage your strengths to control it and live a happier, more fulfilling life.
What is anger?
Anger is a natural emotional response to perceived threats, frustration, or injustice. It triggers a surge of adrenaline, preparing the body to take action, but it can become problematic if not managed properly. When unchecked, anger can lead to destructive behaviors, strained relationships, and even poor health outcomes [1].
What does it mean to have a short temper?
If you are short-tempered, you have a difficult time controlling your emotions. You often act immediately and impulsively. Having a short temper usually means you are easily angered. You are more likely to complain, get unnecessarily defensive, or react irrationally.
What are the signs of a short temper?
If you are wondering whether you have a short temper, there are a few ways to find out. If you feel you do not have control over your emotions or if you or others are threatened by your anger, seek medical attention. However, there are warning signs you should surely listen to.
10 signs of a shorter temper
If you’re wondering if you have a short temper, it would be wise to pause and reflect on your behavior patterns. Some signs that may indicate you have a short temper are:
- Frequent irritability: You often feel annoyed or frustrated by small inconveniences or mistakes.
- Snapping at others: You tend to lash out or raise your voice quickly, even over minor issues.
- Difficulty letting things go: You find it hard to move on from small annoyances and dwell on them for longer than necessary.
- Impatience: You feel agitated when things don’t happen quickly enough or according to plan.
- Physical tension: You experience physical symptoms like clenched fists, a tight jaw, or a racing heart when upset.
- Constant complaining: You frequently express dissatisfaction or criticism about situations, people, or events.
- Aggressive responses: Your first reaction to problems or frustrations is to act aggressively or defensively.
- Overreacting: You tend to blow situations out of proportion, responding with more anger than the situation warrants.
- Holding grudges: You struggle to forgive or forget, keeping a score of slights and harboring resentment.
- Mood swings: Your emotions fluctuate quickly, with sudden bursts of anger interrupting otherwise calm moments.
Learning how to recognize these signs is a great first step to addressing and managing problems with a chronically short temper.
Frequent irritability
You may find yourself feeling annoyed or frustrated over things that others find insignificant. This constant irritability can lead to unnecessary conflict with others, creating a cycle of frustration and tension.
Snapping at others
If you often raise your voice or react sharply without much provocation, it may be a sign of a short temper. Quick, reactive responses can damage relationships and make others afraid to be themselves around you.
Difficulty letting things go
Most people with anger problems find that small mistakes or inconveniences stay with them long after the situation has passed. Ruminating on these frustrations can make them snowball, leading to more intense reactions later.
Impatience
Feeling irritated when things don’t happen on your timeline is a common sign of a short temper. Impatience can cause frustration in situations that require flexibility or understanding, making it harder to stay calm.
Physical tension
Anger often shows up in the body. If you notice clenched fists, a racing heart, or a tight jaw when frustrated, these physical signs could indicate an underlying buildup of anger or stress.
Constant complaining
Regularly voicing dissatisfaction or criticizing others could be a manifestation of pent-up anger. This negativity not only impacts your mood but also affects the atmosphere around you.
Aggressive responses
If you find that your default response to problems is aggression – whether it’s through your words or actions – this could be a sign of a short fuse. Aggression tends to escalate conflicts rather than resolve them.
Overreacting
When minor issues trigger an intense or exaggerated response, it’s a red flag for a short temper. Overreactions can lead to unnecessary drama and regret once you’ve had time to cool off.
Holding grudges
A short temper often comes with a tendency to hold onto anger for longer than necessary. Refusing to let go of slights or mistakes can fuel resentment and lead to more intense outbursts in the future.
Mood swings
Rapid shifts between calmness and anger could indicate a struggle with emotional regulation. These unpredictable mood swings can make it difficult for others to approach you without fear of setting off an emotional outburst.
How do you find out if you are a short-tempered person?
Testing whether you have a short temper involves reflecting on how you typically respond to frustration and conflict. Frequent angry outbursts, impulsive reactions, and an inability to tolerate minor inconveniences are key signs. Consider keeping a mood journal to track how often you feel irritable or lose control of your emotions.
Pro Tip From HIGH5
Taking the HIGH5 strengths assessment can help you discover how your unique strengths can be used to overcome habitual anger. By identifying your natural abilities, you can better understand how to channel your emotions productively, rather than letting frustration take control. For example, if you are strong in problem-solving skills, you can leverage that strength into designing a plan to develop new habits in place of irritability and angry outbursts.
How does a shorter temper affect your personal and professional life?
Having a short temper does not just affect you and your career. It also has a lasting impact on your colleagues, friends, and family members. For instance, some breakups occur simply because of the fact that a partner is not controlling their temper. Below, we outline how a lack of emotional control could impact different facets of your personal and professional life.
Relationship issues
If you have a short temper, even small nuisances can enrage you. Your partner probably is unable to understand why you complain and criticize so often or react so extremely to such unimportant events. They may fight back with equal anger, escalating the conflict far out of proportion, or they may shut down and withdraw to protect themselves. If you cannot control your anger, you may even respond violently to a partner. When this occurs, there is virtually no chance that the relationship can be salvaged.
Friendship issues
Those with short tempers are likely to be consistent complainers, further isolating them socially. In general, when many individuals are afraid of your temper, they are unlikely to give you a chance or wish to develop any relationship with you. Those who are already friends with you may wish to end the friendship out of self-respect. If your anger is expressed violently enough, many public places may ban you, and you could even get into legal trouble as well..
Physical health issues
There are physical side effects to being short-tempered. You may have an increased risk of stroke, heart attack, or other issues with blood vessels. This is because the constant stress and anger eventually impact your body as well. Many who are short-tempered unfortunately face an increase in blood pressure, further adding to the potential for cardiac issues [2]. Additionally, anger is likely to lead to poor health decisions in general. When you are always in a bad mood and infuriated, focusing on healthy eating, exercise, and sleep is difficult. For example, many short-tempered people turn to food to calm themselves down. This may lead to weight troubles and a host of issues that follow. Additionally, short-tempered people increase their risk of bulimia, which has serious physical side effects [3].
Professional life issues
A short temper can have a significant impact on your professional life, often leading to strained relationships with colleagues, supervisors, and clients. Frequent irritability or emotional outbursts can create a tense work environment, making it difficult for others to collaborate with you or approach you for feedback. Over time, this can damage your professional reputation and limit your opportunities for teamwork or leadership roles, as people may avoid working with someone who reacts impulsively to stress.
In addition, a short temper can cloud your judgment and hinder problem-solving. Reacting with frustration instead of taking a moment to assess the situation can lead to poor decision-making or unnecessary conflicts. This not only affects productivity but also can make it harder to manage difficult situations or projects with calm and clarity. Learning to control and manage your temper is essential for building a positive professional image and maintaining strong working relationships.
Psychological issues
Depression is often associated with sadness and disinterest in previously enjoyed activities. However, there is an anger element to depression as well. Depression is also linked with frequent outbursts of anger [4]. Plus, those with a major depressive disorder often report having anger feelings. There is also an increased risk of anxiety for those who are short-tempered. Sweating, blood pressure issues, and feeling out of control are all symptoms that those with anxiety and a short temper share. Researchers now understand the strong relationship between the physical symptoms of anxiety and a short temper [5].
How to get control of a short temper?
A large portion of individuals with short temper struggle with controlling their emotions. However, how you express your emotions is entirely within your control. You can take steps to decrease your impulsivity and lessen your rage-like responses. Below are a few techniques we recommend.
Practice positivity
Positivity is a great way to get yourself more relaxed. A practice of positive thinking can be aimed at decreasing your anger and increasing inner peace, particularly by curbing your impulse to criticize and let your anger build rather than dissipate. If you have trouble at first trying to get your thoughts on a more positive track, try using a few breathing techniques. Take deep breaths when you feel tense. You can add comforting and positive words to the breathing exercise, too.
Try gratitude exercises
Practicing gratitude can be a powerful tool for curbing chronic anger by shifting your focus from frustration to appreciation. When you actively recognize the good things you have, it becomes easier to manage negative emotions and respond to challenges with patience and perspective. Incorporating gratitude into your daily routine helps cultivate a mindset that reduces reactive anger and fosters emotional balance. You can do this by keeping a gratitude journal, saying to yourself a list of five things you are thankful to have, and regularly praising the people around you for what a gift they are to you. If you do this for long enough your anger will eventually decrease and you will avoid the negative results of an outburst.
Pro Tip From HIGH5
In addition to practicing positivity exercises and leveraging support systems, gaining a deeper understanding of your unique talents and strengths through an assessment like the HIGH5 test can be instrumental in controlling your temper. By identifying your core strengths, you can develop customized strategies that align with your natural inclinations, making anger management approaches more intuitive and sustainable. The HIGH5 test provides personalized insights, enabling you to harness your strengths proactively and respond to triggers in a manner that aligns with your authentic self.
Reach out to loved ones
Who would you call when facing tragedy, or truly needing help? These are the people you truly trust, and they are the people who can help you overcome your anger. Whenever you feel extremely angry, try calling them. They can help you view the situation in a different way. Having any support group (whether it be your family, friends, colleagues, or a formal support group for others trying to overcome anger) can help you manage your feelings more successfully.
Keep a mood journal
Journaling has been proven to be beneficial in many circumstances. Mood tracking through journaling is great for reflection and the release of tension. A mood journal or daily mood chart can help you keep track of how often you feel certain emotions and why you feel them. Once you notice a pattern, you can identify and avoid your triggers. Also, write down what you specifically thought about the situation and what your immediate impulses were so you can recognize similar situations in the future.
See a therapist for advice
It is perfectly normal to have a hard time handling an anger problem on your own. Therapists can be an excellent resource for you. A mental health expert has experience in this field and can give you in-depth advice on how to express and overcome your anger. They are trained to be receptive and provide calming support for your well-being. With therapy, you can learn more about anger management, which techniques are right for your specific personality and how to identify triggers and deal with them.
Pro Tip From HIGH5
Explore how your top strengths, as identified by the HIGH5 assessment, could be leveraged to better manage triggers or respond more productively in challenging situations. For example, if one of your strengths is “Resilience,” consider techniques for bouncing back quickly from setbacks and maintaining composure.
Interesting facts about short-tempered people
Short-tempered people can be confusing to the general population. If you know someone with a short temper, you may wonder why they act the way they do. If you are short-tempered yourself, you may feel isolated and misunderstood.
- A short temper can be caused by numerous reasons. It is often traced to childhood and how someone was raised. Sometimes, it is linked to another mental health condition, like anxiety or depression.
- There are serious long-term health problems associated with a short temper. For instance, a long period of having an uncontrolled short temper could lead to a heart attack [2]. Mental health conditions could also develop, including depression, anxiety, and intermittent explosive disorder [3].
- There may be some genetic predispositions to having a short temper. Scientists have identified a warrior gene, referred to as MAOA, which may make them more likely to respond with anger and violence [6].
Pro Tip From HIGH5
Explore how your unique combination of strengths, as revealed by the HIGH5 test, can empower you to strike a healthy balance between assertiveness and emotional regulation. Identify techniques that allow you to embrace your intensity while maintaining composure in challenging situations.
Short temper FAQ
What does having a short temper mean?
Having a short temper means you easily lose control of your emotions, especially in response to minor irritations. It involves impulsive reactions and frequent anger outbursts.
How do I stop being short-tempered?
While a short temper can be difficult to control, it is ultimately something you can choose to manage. One way to stop being short-tempered is to use breathing techniques. Try to take deep breaths when a situation gets heated. Additionally, try to distance yourself from circumstances that generate unnecessary stress. Leave the situation and come back when you are calmer. Try journaling about your feelings so you can identify and later remove triggers.
Is short temper genetic?
Having a short temper is not entirely genetic. However, scientists have discovered there is a genetic component to it. If you have the MAOA gene, also called the warrior gene, you may be genetically prone to getting angry more easily [6]. However, environment and upbringing are still the top culprits at the root of short tempers. If you are raised by individuals who are aggressive or fail to learn the importance of calmness, you are more likely to have a short temper [7].
Is short-temper a weakness?
Usually, having a short temper is viewed negatively. It can impact your relationships, career, and health in adverse ways. You are more likely to have conflicts, have a poor reputation, and have high blood pressure. Because of all of this, most people consider a short temper a weakness. However, a short temper also ensures you do not waste time by keeping quiet. When expressed in healthy, well-controlled ways, anger can make you look assertive and confident.
Why am I short-tempered with my family?
It is typical for short-tempered people to react aggressively and strongly to even small irritations. Because of time spent together and the responsibility parents have for managing their children, most if not all children will bother their parents occasionally. This could be one source of your temper. It could also be tension or conflict with a spouse or parent. The way you were raised, your temperament, and even your genetics all may contribute to how you may react to family conflict.
How to cope with anger?
To cope with anger, practice deep breathing, mindfulness, or physical activity to release tension. Identifying triggers and using relaxation techniques can help prevent outbursts.
What are the causes of a short temper?
A short temper is often caused by stress, emotional frustration, or past trauma. Biological factors like genetics and environmental influences such as upbringing also play a role.
How to fix a short temper?
Fixing a short temper involves identifying triggers, practicing relaxation techniques, and seeking support from loved ones or therapists. Regularly engaging in self-reflection and mindfulness can help regulate emotional responses.
How to calm a quick temper?
To calm a quick temper, take deep breaths, remove yourself from stressful situations, and practice grounding techniques like counting or focusing on your senses. Regularly practicing mindfulness can also reduce the frequency of quick temper flare-ups.
References:
- Staicu, M. L., & Cuţov, M. (2010). Anger and health risk behaviors. Journal of medicine and life, 3(4), 372–375. PMCID: PMC3019061 PMID: 21254733.
- Travers, M. (2024). 12 questions to know if you have ‘Anger issues’ – by a psychologist. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/traversmark/2024/06/07/12-questions-to-know-if-you-have-anger-issues-by-a-psychologist/.
- Miotto, P., Pollini, B., Resteano, A., Favaretto, G., Preti, A. (2008). Aggressiveness, anger, and hostility in eating disorders. Comprehensive psychiatry, (49)4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2008.01.004.
- Golden, B. (2020). How do depression and anger interact?. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/overcoming-destructive-anger/202011/how-do-depression-and-anger-interact.
- Seltzer, L. (2022). Why anger is nothing more than repressed anxiety. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evolution-the-self/202211/why-anger-is-nothing-more-repressed-anxiety.
- McDermott, R., Tingley, D., Cowden, J., Frazzetto, G., & Johnson, D. D. (2009). Monoamine oxidase A gene (MAOA) predicts behavioral aggression following provocation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 106(7), 2118–2123. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0808376106.
- Seltzer, L. (2017). How do parents model exactly what they don’t want?. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evolution-of-the-self/201707/how-do-parents-model-exactly-what-they-dont-want.
