Is a quick temper the sign of a mental illness?

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I think the person should seek help for anger management. I couldn’t say if it is a sign of mental illness, but it’s unhealthy to have that quick of a temper.

It could be but only a professional could diagnose them.

It could be anxiety which manifests as the bad temper.

It could also be an addiction which, when the person withdraws, they get nasty and angry.

It could be a lot of things. It could also be that they are just aggressive and will act that way when they think they can get away with it.

Possibly. I’d love to know if the person feels its a problem in their life, as well as hear an example.

Welcome!

It is usually classified as a disorder, not the more severe term (mental illness).

A bad temper is a symptom of bipolar disorder, but it’s only one symptom. Many more must be present to make a diagnosis.

A bad temper by itself is not a mental illness.

Not being a psychiatrist or psychologist, I couldn’t say for sure. I always considered it a sign or lack of control or maturity.

Some people simply don’t know how to deal with being upset.
An outward display of sudden temper may have been simmering just below the surface, the upset person may have no ideas for expressing displeasure when it is mild. Their ‘vocabulary’ might fail them all the way to the point they explode – which they do know how to do.
That’s one way ‘anger management’ can help a lot. It can train one to recognize signs of upset early on and train to express the issue in a constructive way – far before exploding.

I am reminded of some basic therapeutic tools of primal therapy, the questions: “how do you feel?” “what do you want?” When you can express the answers to those questions, using “I” statements and any without blame, then you are on the path to managing anger.

This person loses it big time when he has to stop at a red light. And there is no urgency to get anywhere. He loves making it through a green light but if he has to stop at the red he freaks out. Never saw anyone else do this.

I would avoid that person at all costs. Do not put yourself in danger for someone who is “usually an okay person”. It just isn’t worth it.
Do not continue down this path.