Hangry

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I know a few people who appear to have jagged edges. They’re grouchy. Curmudgeonly. On occasion, I’ve even heard them “bark” — snap at others. Myself included.

When I get “hangry” (irritable or angry as a result of hunger), I get peevish. Once the hunger beast is satisfied, I bounce right back to my merry self. 

Let me be the first to say that while that might explain it, it doesn’t excuse it. Barking at others isn’t acceptable — even if the bark is worse than the bite.

[bctt tweet=”What brings out the worst in you?” username=”@TuesWithLaurie”]

What brings out the worst in you?

© TuesdaysWithLaurie.com

66 thoughts on “Hangry”

  1. That´s me too. I can get very “hangry” and difficult to live with. I carry a granola bar in my purse just in case. I really need to eat at regular times or I turn into an ogre. Not everyone understands. xo

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  6. Laurie, I laughed when I looked at this picture. It reminded me of something one of my first students said to me in 1970: “Miz Showalter, you try to look mean, but you can’t!”

    I get angry when I face injustice. I am especially offended by injustices done to me, I’m afraid. But I also get angry on behalf of others.

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  7. I live in Canada- the land of the polite. Sometimes too polite. It makes me crazy when people pull up to a four-way stop first and then don’t go. They think they are being polite, but it is SO irritating. I have to go through two four-way stops on my way to work, and when this happens, it makes me (a usually calm and balanced person) “peevish” to use your word.

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    • Arlene — I can picture in my mind the scene you described: everyone pulling up to a stop and no one moving out of what they feel is being polite. It would almost be funny if it didn’t make you late for work.

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  8. Laurie–that photo of you so made me laugh!! What gets me peeved? When a coworker (or supervisor) stands right next to me trying to help me ‘find’ something on the computer. Back away, people!! No breathing down my neck!

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  9. We live 7 miles from town but in a mobile home/RV resort. Because we are on the lake people think they can do whatever they want with no thought to how it affects others. But when you live with 100 people crammed in like sardines that doesn’t work. I found myself looking like your picture last week when our neighbor began building a carport very close to Bob’s office window. I couldn’t stop it, but I did keep her from spreading gravel all the way over to our house. It scares people when “sweet little Genie” blows up. Actually it scares me. 🙂

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  10. Thanks for the smile, Laurie. You look adorable, trying to look angry. 🙂 I’m told I’m a soft-spoken unruffled woman, and most times, that’s true. My guy can get hangry, but I figured that out when we were dating (how’d this nice guy get so snappish all of a sudden? Oh, he’s hungry.) I have apples/veggies always around for his snacks and feed him double what I feed myself (he’s quite lean even though he eats like a lion). But I make sure to watch my low blood sugar; I’m more likely to be fangry. Sometimes I overdo with exercise and writing with no stops. I get fatigued and then, a bit short and snappy. FA-ngry.

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    • Pam — “FA-ngry.” I love it! And it’s so nice of you to keep healthy snacks around for your fellow.

      I would sit non-stop at my writing desk if it weren’t for Willa. She periodically comes and nudges me with her big wet nose to let me know it’s time to go for a walk. Like clockwork, it happens about every two hours. Perfect timing 🙂

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  11. Great photo … I’ve never known you to be peevish. And, we are all human. I definitely get more than peevish when I witness inequality or unfairness in any form. But at a human, every day level I am most likely to get cranky when I’m tired. I used to go ballistic when driving on major expressways/toll ways and someone would be driving recklessly, cutting in front of me, etc. On one occasion, I was in such a situation with a more evolved friend with me. I held my tongue but my rankle was obvious to her. She gently offered that such drivers used to cause her to throw pejoratives. Her new strategy was first to acknowledge her own fear and then to send positive energy to or a prayer for the crazy driver. She took the empathetic viewpoint considering what might be stirring up such impatience in that driver. It was a good lesson. Now, in that situation, fear may surface and most frequently I can send compassion or empathy out and ask the angels to protect all of us.

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  15. You must not have been thinking of Luna when you made that face. Because I know your “m. o.” to be kind and polite, you probably had to work up quite a frenzy for that pose. Ha!

    I am told my mother-in-law would sometimes become “hangry,” and our daughter seems to have inherited that tendency. Is it all in the genes? As you say, an explanation, not an excuse. Feed that low blood sugar!

    P. S. You are so smart, giving us such a quick and easy Tweet handle!

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    • Marian — It took me a while to get that face because I kept laughing.

      And I think you’re onto something with the “in the genes” theory. It’s definitely true in my family.

      I’m glad you like the “Tweet this” feature. I have the paid version of WordPress so that I can keep ads off my page. It took a long while, but I eventually learned that with the paid version, you can incorporate the “Tweet this” feature (you can’t on the free version).

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  16. I let little annoyances go by, over and over, until I reach a “breaking point,” then let go with either tears or a burst of anger. Not over whatever minor thing just happened, but over the accumulation of small offences. It always leaves me embarrassed, and others puzzled over what the hell just happened.

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  20. I think my two worst irritability places are in unknown circumstances, where nervousness about what to do, where to go next, etc. arises, and when too tired. Also, as in one of the comments above, when driving — I too try to say the lovingkindness chant or send Reiki to the offending driver, but some days I just bitch…

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  21. Hi Laurie,

    I am definitely not nice to be around when hungry, part of why I eat most hours. Eating also helps me maintain focus on complex problems, the two aspects being closely related.

    The other thing that can really “get me going” is injustice. That seems to trigger really deep and long lasting responses in me.

    I once tried to do a 40 hours famine, but had to give up at about 30 hours, as I was a danger to myself and all other family members, I would react angrily before I was even conscious of it.

    And like some others, I am also sensitive to some scents (poly cyclic aromatics give me intense headaches – possibly as a result of being exposed to dangerous levels of 245T as a teenager).

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  22. Your photo–most of us can never imagine the cool and collected and Feng Shui-loving Laura could ever really be hangry or lose it. Thanks for the reality check. My worst gets brought out when I allow a very non-Feng Shui basement and garage to get under my skin. 🙂 Now, you really don’t want to see my photo in such moments. 😉

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    • Melodie — Garages and basements have a way of becoming clutter-catchers. I’m so glad we don’t have either. It would, however, be fun to see a photo of you frustrated by one or the other 😂

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  24. I was raised to believe that anger was a negative emotion that needed to be controlled. It took me years to realize that all emotions are valid. Rather it’s what you do with your feelings that can be constructive or damaging. For example, anger can lead you to take action for a cause–homelessness or poverty or…the list continues.

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  25. Laurie, you ‘d better hope the wind doesn’t change and you pulling a face like that! You’ll be stuck like that forever! Ask any old grandma, she’ll tell you. Other people spot my change of attitude before I am even aware of it. I’m trying to be more mindful of my body’s needs and responding accordingly. I would rather not bite someone’s head off given the choice of a Snickers bar before hand. I discovered I could easily overcome the guilty thought, “Oh, No! Put that dreadful candy bar down!”. My husband wisely stashed bars in the glove box of our truck for after church. At the first sign of a cloud, he would produce one and set his watch, it takes about 4 minutes to work. That sort of Hangry is easily sorted out, what really fries my grits though is someone callously wasting my time and emotions. I spend both my time and my emotions just as carefully as I do my money and I am not by nature a frugal person. I trust people but will not put up with toxic drains on my irreplaceable time.

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  26. Great question; I’ve been pondering. Then I realized it’s been awhile since my inner bitch has come out to claim her space. I always feel better after she visits, though Woody is not a big fan. 🙂

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  27. Laurie, you’re in very good company–Gretchen Rubin, the “Happiness Project” author, says the same thing in one of her articles and it made a great impression on me. It’s the little things, after all, isn’t it = the key to staying just fine, thank you.Thanks for the reminder.

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  28. I only eat 3 days a week. I am fine most of the time, but then I get hangry – and my whole family will testify that I am horrible to be around. I get huge headaches and my whole body is cold/frozen and also hyperactive. I even just hate to think about it.

    Gretchen Rubin’s Happiness words are well worth it….she is pretty amazing about so many things in this life

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  32. Technology makes me hangry Laurie . I like to think I understand the humble computer but on a daily basis I’m tearing my hair out …I’m going to need a wig soon 😱

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