Situation · Family and friends
“My dad explodes over the smallest things”
What could be going on
Sudden rage over something small: Fits if anger is far out of scale with the trigger.
Anger as a secondary emotion: Could be covering hurt, fear or shame; check what was going on for him beforehand.
Covert depression in men (Terry Real): In men, irritability can mask low mood; check for withdrawal, drinking or overwork too.
Stress response and allostatic load: An ordinary cause: chronic stress or money worries shorten the fuse; check if it worsened recently.
You walk on eggshells around them: If the family tiptoes around him, the pattern is established; check whether anyone is ever at risk.
Questions to carry
- The last time he exploded, what was the small thing, and what else was weighing on him?
- What does my body do when he starts, and how safe do I feel?
Also said as
- my father screams if a cup is left out
- dad's temper goes from zero to a hundred
- my parent rages over nothing
- why does my father lose it over tiny stuff
- father with a short fuse
- my dad has anger outbursts over nothing