Agitation is a feeling of aggravation, annoyance, restlessness, or nervousness. It can be brought on by actions, words, events, or in some cases, for no known reason.
It’s normal to feel agitated from time to time — for instance, in response tostressfrom work or school — but it can sometimes be a sign of an underlying medical or mental health condition.
If you regularly experience agitation for no known reason, talk with your doctor. They can help figure out the cause and treatments available to you.
Agitation is a normal emotion experienced by most people. In the majority of cases, there’s no need for worry or concern.
Common causes of agitation can include:
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- anxietyor mood disorders, likedepressionorbipolar disorder
- conditions that cause hormonal imbalances, likehypothyroidism
- alcohol dependencyorwithdrawal
- autism
- neurological disorders (in rare cases,brain tumors)
If you regularly feel agitated for no apparent reason, make an appointment with your doctor. An underlying mental or physical health condition may be negatively affecting your mood. Your doctor can help identify the cause of your agitation and, if needed, prescribetreatment.
To identify the underlying cause of your agitation, your doctor will likely start by asking you questions about your medical history and lifestyle, along with other symptoms you may be experiencing.
If they suspect that you have an underlyingmental healthcondition, they may refer you to a mental health specialist for evaluation.
If they think that you have an underlying physical condition, they may conduct one or more diagnostic tests.
For example, they may:
- collect a sample of your blood to check forhormonal imbalances
- collect a sample of yoururineorspinal fluidto check for abnormalities
In some cases, they may order aCT scanorMRI scanof your brain.
Your doctor’s recommended treatment plan will depend on what’s causing your agitation.
Stress
To relieve agitation caused bystress, your doctor might recommend a variety of relaxation techniques, including:
Deep breathing and meditation can help restore your sense of calm. Exercising and participating in activities you enjoy can alsoreduce stress.
Your doctor may also refer you to a psychotherapist if these techniques fail to provide you with relief. If you don’t already have a psychotherapist, ourHealthline FindCaretool can help you connect to one in your area.
You should take steps to identify and limit your contact with things that cause you stress as well. For example, if you feel overwhelmed by your workload, discuss it with your supervisor or teacher.
Mental health conditions
If you’re diagnosed with an anxiety or amood disorder, your doctor may recommend medications,talk therapy, or a combination of both to treat it.
During a typical therapy session, you’ll talk about your symptoms and develop strategies to cope with them.
Hormonal imbalances
If you’re diagnosed with a condition that affects yourhormones, your doctor may prescribehormone replacement therapyor other medications to treat it. They may also refer you to a hormone specialist, known as anendocrinologist.
Brain tumor
If you’re diagnosed with abrain tumor, your recommended treatment plan will depend on its type, size, and location.
In some cases, your doctor may recommendchemotherapyto shrink it. If it can be removed safely with surgery, they may refer you to a surgeon to perform the procedure. If it’s too difficult or dangerous to remove, your doctor may simply choose to monitor the growth for changes.
Your outlook will depend on the underlying cause of your agitation and the steps you take to treat it.
In many cases, taking steps to reduce stress can relieve agitation. In others cases, you may need to take medication or have other treatments on a temporary or ongoing basis.
Ask your doctor for more information about your specific condition, treatment options, and long-term outlook.