Is frustration a mood or a pure emotion or something in between?

Question

I know frustration can lead to or be mixed in with anger (an emotion) and often it arises out of difficult situations or obstacles so it can seem to be a very complex thing but on the otherhand it can seem like a pure state of mind...

Answer 1

It's a good question.  People, rightly or wrongly, use the word to describe a mood ("I feel frustrated"), or a state of mind ("I am frustrated over this math problem"), or as a verb meaning to be denied something ("My efforts were frustrated").

I just looked in a dictionary, but surprisingly, it didn't offer any insights into whether or not "frustration" would be properly classified as an emotion per se.

After some refection, I'm concluding "frustration" is a state of mind; a position of being blocked from something you desire.  It's a mindset, a perspective of something unable to be obtained.  Moods, or emotions would characterize one's reaction or response to this denial; such as being "anxious" or "nervous", or "angry", or "depressed".

To put it another way, a mood or emotion is more short-term and transient; while "frustration" best describes a mind-set that is more long-term and resistant to change.  There is some overlap between the two, certainly; but at least in theory, frustration would be better defined in terms of a perspective rather than an emotion.

Answer 2

Actually, you've got it the wrong way round.

Anger leads to frustration, because you realise your anger isn't going to help you.

Rage, on the other hand, is refusing to accept that your anger isn't helping.

Answer 3

its a word for a stage of anger when you are still logical enough to hold back from punching someone's lights out and haven't got enough feeling to tip you over the edge into mindless violence..

Answer 4

I think it is a state of mind.

Answer 5

its a pure emotion!

Answer 6

People usually confuse things as "emotions" and "moods", when things like frustration are actually just responses. Usually, you don't just suddenly feel something like frustration, but it results in some sort of conflict, like not being able to figure out a puzzle or win a game. Other "emotions", like love and hate, are the same.

Answer 7

I think its a feeling..