Clinical Agitation

We have all felt angry, nervous, or frustrated. These emotions are a normal part of the human experience, brief storms that pass. But what happens when the storm doesn’t pass? What if the feeling isn’t just anger, but an overwhelming internal turmoil that takes over your thoughts and actions? This is the reality of clinical agitation.

Imagine your body’s internal alarm system—the one that signals stress or danger—is malfunctioning. Instead of turning off when a threat is gone, it gets stuck in the ‘on’ position, flooding you with an unbearable sense of restlessness and tension that spills outward. This article aims to demystify this complex clinical state, explain its key features, and foster empathy for those who experience it.