Under stress, do not like smokers, habit of smokers, overreacted in a certain situation, feeling bad. Advice?
Patient: Hi, I m 47 years old single mom of 2 kids; 19 and 17. My eldest in is college and my youngest has a mild autism . I spent all my life providing and guiding my kids. I m under a lot of stress . I try and manage for most parts but sometimes trivial things really bother me and I get upset. I don t like being upset for more than 10 seconds. I wonder if I can eat some mood enhancing food to control my mood even more. Last night I got upset because my gentleman friend left me at a pub for the 3rd time in the night to go out for a smoke . I am not a smoker and dislike the whole package from health perspective to smell and the habits of smokers. He has supposedly quit regular smoking but does social smoking. I tried to brushoff the first and the second time I was left by myself but the 3rd time got to me. I don t know why it got to me so much. I don t know if I was too tired and so I reacted to such trivial thing. I felt like leaving and almost took off. I stopped talking and smiling and sat there like I hated the world. Today I feel bad about my reaction though I was not disrespectful or rude. Maybe I should drop it all together. thanks, Pira Doctor: Hello and welcome to Healthcare Magic. Thanks for your query.  East irritability could sometimes be a manifestation of underlying stress or depression. If these symptoms are frequent and distressing or if you are having difficulty handling your stress, I would advise you to consult a psychiatrist for a detailed evaluation and further management. There are effective treatment options - in the form of medication or counselling / psychotherapy which will help you overcome your problems.  Wish you all the best.  - Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar   consultant Pychiatrist