Imagine being at a party, then someone shoves yo,u and upon being confronted, shifts to disproportionate rage, slamming the table or shouting an obscenity.
This sudden, severe and poorly modulated display of emotion, triggered by a seemingly trivial event is a common example of an abnormal emotional outburst.
Basically, it is an extreme reaction different from the typical emotional response expected within a given social or professional context thus reflecting a fundamental difficulty in regulating one’s affective state.
An emotional outburst, explained simply is a sudden, intense and often brief explosion of feelings that involves a rapid escalation of physiological and behavioral responses.
While all humans experience intense emotions, an abnormal outburst is characterised by intensity, duration and lack of proportionality to the stimulus that provoked it.
These can manifest as intense anger leading to yelling or object throwing, overwhelming despair resulting in uncontrollable crying and withdrawal or severe anxiety which can be expressed as panic and frantic agitation.
Before you run to judge, psychologically, these outbursts are often rooted in a temporary breakdown of the brain’s prefrontal cortex functions that are responsible for control and emotional inhibition.
Identifying this pattern requires attention to specific behavioral markers as it is not merely high emotion but the rapid cycling or the discrepancy between the trigger and the reaction.
People who are prone to these episodes may report feeling “hijacked” by their emotions, struggling to articulate the feeling before it transforms into action.
They may also exhibit low frustration tolerance, often resorting to all-or-nothing thinking during a perceived crisis.
This is clinically relevant as it is a core feature in several mood and personality disorders leaning on Intermittent Explosive Disorder or IED, which the American Psychiatric Association (APA) defines as recurrent, severe behavioral outbursts demonstrating a failure to control aggressive impulses.
While it goes without saying that these chronic, abnormal emotional outbursts are toxic to those around, for the individual, these episodes contribute to significant internal stress, shame and a profound sense of helplessness regarding their own emotional landscape and behaviors.
And unless you deal with this very serious emotional issue, frequent outbursts impair the ability to engage in rational problem-solving creating a cycle where minor difficulties lead to disproportionate crises.
Interpersonally, the effect is severe. These episodes damage trust, create an atmosphere of anxiety and walking-on-eggshells for others and lead to social and occupational isolation.
Colleagues, friends and partners eventually begin to distance themselves to avoid your unpredictable volatility.
Over time, this unpredictable behavior erodes credibility and makes stable, reciprocal relationships immensely difficult to have and maintain.
