[Standup2me]

Does anyone ever get moments of rage?

I don't mean angry, I mean out and out full on rage

What do you do to control it?

[catsrhelm]

I would recommend reading the book Controlling Your Anger Before It Controls You. I admit I had a fit of rage latly, but thanks to that book, I am forgiving myself.

[waiting4]

I do...not often, anymore...but when I do I usually end up bawling my eyes out in frustration....after stomping around the apt eviscerating every thought I have, or writing an email I'll never send (because I've learned that is BAD...thank you T..pffft).

Honestly the rages don't happen as often, or else I've learned how to deal with them better...probably means I'm due one.

Sure....can't just forget the other shoe...have to expect it to drop. Anyway, the answer is 'yes' for me, but more often it's just frustration and depression, with even tones sprinkled haphazardly throughout. If I feel a rage coming on, I try to go for a walk, or run it off.

But I'm always afraid of them. Does this count?

[jesusplay]

It happens, but I try to keep it in my head.

[Angry1541]

Originally Posted by Standup2me

Does anyone ever get moments of rage?

I don't mean angry, I mean out and out full on rage

What do you do to control it?

Yup that's how I was diagnosed as BP -- I am taking gabapentin and it seems to take the top edge of rage moments, and I try to talk myself outta moments when I notice it.

But I get it...and I have been there...

[Hedwig3.0]

I have rage. There is nothing rational about it and usually involves yelling.

Taking an Ativan helps.

[wildflowerchild25]

I have irritability in depression AND hypomania so maybe I'm just a ***** lol. But when I am hypo/manic I definitely get rageful. I've hit my husband, thrown my things including my phone, and I scream my head off. GOD HELP YOU if you're driving like an idiot and I'm manic behind you.

Yeah it's not good. I did well on trileptal for awhile but the irritability was worse I think. Especially because my mood was relatively stable.

I find that walking away from the situation if I can and taking deep breaths before responding can help me. Sometimes that pause gives me time to evaluate my initial response for validity.

And I forgot that if I don't have any benzos I will take two Benadryl and that will chill me out.

[Nammu]

I do, I most don't act on those feelings and try to distract myself. I ask myself is my rage out of proportion, will I accomplish anything if I give into the rage, sometimes that makes me angrier after all there nothing logical about the rage. I lost the damn glasses not the key to the answer of all things. With rage the feelings are completely out of proportion to the event and often I'm frustrated or embarrassed about something else entirely.

[BlackSheep79]

Originally Posted by Standup2me

Does anyone ever get moments of rage?

I don't mean angry, I mean out and out full on rage

What do you do to control it?

You are not alone with this one. I will sometimes actually throw things. I have learned to take myself out of the situation, like leaving the room and being by myself. I'm on FMLA and sometimes I leave work when I know this is going on. I just went thru 4 months of mania, lets just say I missed a lot of work. I play the piano and clarinet, and also love to listen to music. Music is my escape, so this also how I handle it. I also write in a journal when this is going on. I hope this helps.

I used to have a serious rage problem. What really stopped it was when I got arrested for domestic violence. The night I spent in jail was so awful, so unbelievably stressful and frightening and demeaning, I never allowed myself to rage like that again. Ever.

[BipolaRNurse]

I've always been hot-tempered, and yes, I have rage......or at least I used to. I haven't had a good screaming fit since I started that first mood stabilizer, and I just can't find a whole lot that's worth getting worked up over anymore. Like a PP said, you'd better get out of my way if you're driving like a fool and I'm anywhere in your vicinity; and when I'm full-on manic, I tend to argue politics and get pissed when someone calls me out on my views. But otherwise the medications mask the vast majority of my anger, which is innate and will always be there, but can be controlled.

[toloveinsanity]

I feel like crying reading these. I've suffered from these rage 'episodes' for so long and no one said it had anything to do with my bipolar, but obviously, I'm not alone. I get so angry and it's never rational. Yes, I'll scream and yell and throw things. Sometimes though, and I wonder if anyone else gets this, but I'll get sadistic. Like I'll enjoy psychologically torturing people, particularly loved ones. (this is very hard to talk about as I'm not manic atm). To extremes, even. I've hurt myself in front of my boyfriend before just to watch him cry. It feels just like a rage fit, but much more controlled and dangerous. I don't know, I think I get to talk to my therapist about it tomorrow.

Rage is much more common for me though! Thank you! The other things my doctors suggested is maybe I was depressed and irritable. It's a LOT MORE than irritable, as you guys seem to understand And I'm most definitely manic during these times!

Mostly, my coping tactics include: riding it out (not coping, really...), blasting obscenely loud music and dancing seductively in front of a mirror (ALONE!!!), writing angry notes I later shred, and most importantly, drawing the future. Me in happy places, through college, with my lover, with my own house, etc... What our pets will look like, it goes on.