25 Adult Tantrums So Memorable, Witnesses Still See Them With Their Eyes Closed

Seeing a kid have a temper tantrum isn’t such an uncommon thing. The reasons they have them can be various – feelings of fatigue, hunger, abandonment, jealousy, or anything else. Sometimes, they just don’t know how to properly express these emotions, so they come out in the form of a tantrum. 

On the other hand, an adult having a tantrum isn’t such a common thing. Yet, it still happens, as can be seen on today’s list. This collection is full of people telling stories about adult tantrums they've witnessed.

And let’s just say that many of them are quite wild – from people shouting to people weeping and so on – check it out yourself! 

But is it normal for adults to have temper tantrums? Well, experts say that it is. The thing that’s harder to put a finger on is the reason they do. 

For instance, some might do it for attention, to manipulate someone into getting their own way, or it could be the result of substance abuse. Just as with children, some might have a tantrum because they have difficulty regulating their emotions, be overwhelmed, overstimulated, and things like that. 

It can also be linked to certain mental health disorders. For instance, it turns out that around 20–67% of folks with Tourette's syndrome and tic disorders can have rage attacks (a release of pent-up anger.) 

Adult tantrums are actually common enough to be categorized into several groups, characterized by the way they’re expressed. For example, one of them is the so-called “silent fit.” That’s when a person pouts in silence – whether by expressing their tantrum using some physical actions, giving the silent treatment, or things like that. Basically, it’s when they pout but don’t make that much sound. 

Another category is called “the tirade.” It’s the exact opposite of the previous one – it includes a lot of sound, like ranting, insulting, shouting, and so on. It can also include more physical actions, like slamming doors, throwing stuff, or even being physically violent. This is probably the tantrum type that’s the easiest to recognize. 

The last is the “whining and moaning” kind. So, this is basically a mellower version of the tirade. As you can guess by the name, it’s when a person huffs, puffs, cries, curses, and things like that, but doesn’t turn to violence or overt screaming.

Additionally, it should be noted that sometimes these “symptoms” might not be of a tantrum, but it might signal something else, like a panic attack. Tears and such can also be caused by grief or sadness, it doesn’t have to specifically be a tantrum. 

After all, humans are complicated, so writing off their actions as simply a tantrum without much thought might be wrong. At the same time, acknowledging that having a tantrum is a completely normal thing in life is important, too. It might be just a way to release pent-up emotions – and as long as it doesn’t hurt others, it’s nothing to worry about.