Why do I feel like everyone is trying to upset me?
Jesse Hanson, Ph.D.
– Written by
Allan Schwartz, Ph.D.
– Updated on September 7, 2025
Question
I go through stages every few months where I feel completely over emotional and really upset. I feel like all the people around me are actually trying to piss me off or upset me even though I know they aren’t because they couldn’t care less about how down I have been. I feel really left out and ignored.
I’m not an attention seeker, I really hate people like that, but I feel abandoned by those I thought would care. Small little things really bother me and make me so angry. I’m glad I have enough self control not to punch someone out for every small thing that sets me off. Then, after all this emotion and upset for about a week or two, I’ll be fine again for another few months.
What is wrong with me?
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Answer
There are a couple of comments that believe reveal some of what is going on with you. You stated that people couldn’t care less when you are down. The fact that you have episodes of being down for one to two weeks at a time, indicates that depression could very well be what is making you feel miserable. Depresssion can be episodic so that, as you say, you experience these problems every couple of months.
Irritability, anger and depression are often rooted in feelings of helplessness and helplessness about life. This mixture of feelings define depression. People tend to believe that depresssion means feeling low, sad, morose. Actually, anger is an important part of the picture of depression. That is why arguing over things small and large occurs. By the way, we need to add anxiety into the “soup” and then we truly have depression. An additional ingredient in your case is your thought that everyhone around you is trying to make you upset.
There are other possible things that could be happening to cause you all of this unhappiness. That is why you really need to consult a psychologist or psychiatrist in order to get an accurate diagnosis. Then you will be given a recommendation for what to do next. That could be psychotherapy alone, medication with psychotherapy or medication alone, although the las is unlikely since it’s the combination of therapy and medicine that works best.
I do want to express my concern to you about this comment that you wrote:
“I’m glad I have enough self control not to punch someone out for every small thing that sets me off.”
My concern is that, if you do not seek help, your emotions might one day boil over to an extent that you take a swing at someone. People get into fights when enough stress builds so that they stop being able to control their anger.
Best of Luck
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Jesse Hanson, Ph.D., is a somatic psychologist with more than 20 years of experience in clinical psychology and neuropsychology.
Allan Schwartz, LCSW, Ph.D. is a medical writer with more than 30 years of clinical experience as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. He writes on a wide range of mental health topics, including mood and anxiety disorders, eating disorders, trauma, abuse, stress, and relationship challenges.
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Jesse Hanson, Ph.D.
– Written by
Allan Schwartz, Ph.D.
– Updated on September 7, 2025
Additional Reading
The Clinical Affairs Team at MentalHealth.com is a dedicated group of medical professionals with diverse and extensive clinical experience. They actively contribute to the development of content, products, and services, and meticulously review all medical material before publication to ensure accuracy and alignment with current research and conversations in mental health. For more information, please visit the Editorial Policy.
We are a health technology company that guides people toward self-understanding and connection. The platform provides reliable resources, accessible services, and nurturing communities. Its purpose is to educate, support, and empower people in their pursuit of well-being.