Tense, irritable, and easily provoked, feeling as if on the edge of losing control or patience. This state involves heightened sensitivity to annoyances and a shortened emotional fuse.
From 'edge' in the sense of being on the brink or border of something dangerous or uncontrolled. The metaphor suggests being precariously positioned where a small push could lead to falling over the edge into anger or breakdown.
Edginess is often a sign that our stress response system is chronically activated—we're essentially living in a state of fight-or-flight readiness. This hyperarousal makes us more reactive because our brain is already primed to detect and respond to threats, real or imagined.
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