Irritable mood and physical illness

The role and features of irritable mood in the medically ill have eluded systematic investigation. Irritability may be a non‐specific manifestation of another psychiatric disturbance, such as depression, or part of the emotional reaction to hospitalization, pain and diagnostic procedures. Irritability, however, may also be a mood state relatively independent of other major moods of anxiety and depression. It may be associated with abnormal illness behavior. The diagnosis and treatment of irritable mood in the medically ill are reviewed. Hostility and irritability appear to be worthy of clinical and research attention in psychosomatic medicine.