[markmcc21]

I have bipolar II. My moods tend to change quickly (2-3 times per week). My rages tend to come when I'm depressed though. I'm under the impression rages are generally associated with (hypo)mania. Does anyone else suffer rages when depressed and what has your pdoc said about it?: confused:

Welcome to the forums, markmcc21!

There's been some discussion about rages lately. Not everyone has them. The way I see it is that while it's certainly not diagnostic, it *is* something that quite a few folks with BP deal with. Whether it's based in trauma or modeled growing up I don't know, but I think those might be a big factors for a lot of people that struggle with this.

Ok, now on to your actual question! I don't think raging is an issue per se when I'm depressed, *but* depression makes me feel VERY overwhelmed by even the simplest things and in that frustration, I can be pretty irritable and hard to deal with. That (for me) would be up to moderate depression. There comes a point where if it gets severe enough, I just don't care enough to even think of it.

But I honestly don't know for sure -- mood-wise -- where I stand when they happen -- or if it's particularly relevant. Better to recognize the signs regardless. Usually for me it's precipitated by stuffed down frustrations. Trauma and modeling of kaboom behavior growing up is at the root of mine. Not really mood state. Unless I've been missing something.

[Sunflower123]

I have been diagnosed with bipolar 2 and I have never had rages while depressed but I'll be asking my pdoc Wednesday. I've never heard of that.

[scatterbrained04]

Is it just one isolated incident when it happens? Or do you experience irritability for a few days in a row? How's sleep? Energy? Any racing thoughts? Impulsivity? Do you get restless?

The reason I'm asking is because sometimes when I get "rage" during depression, I've actually become mixed.

[jacky8807]

I don't really know much about rage and bipolar. But it is worth looking into for other reasons as well. How did you grow up? Do you hold resentment over things in life? Do you keep your feeling bottled up until they blow? Are you under extreme stress right now?

My stepfather who has absolutely no issue with mood disorders rages over the most simple things at times. IDK why he just does. He gets frustrated easily.
Otherwise he is the most stable person mood wise I have ever met

personally for me, I don't have the energy to get angry during depression.
IDK really. Wish I could be more help

[Wander]

I used to have rages when depressed but Lithium really helped calm me down. Can you talk to a psychiatrist and see if there are any options that may help you? Sorry you are suffering so much, I know how difficult rages can be to control. Welcome to PC!

[UpsettiSpaghetti]

To be honest I get quite irritable when im both depressed and hypomanic.

When i'm depressed, everyone just annoys me and i can't deal with people and i get really overwhelmed and i'll just snap at the people closest to me ie my parents, my friends, my siblings etc

When i'm hypomanic its more the fact that people aren't exactly going at my pace. hey're not thinking the way i am, they're too slow. I'll get quite impatient with people an that's when i get irritated and snap at them.

I mean, this is just me, i'm not too sure about everyone else
Best wishes

[BeyondtheRainbow]

Maybe this will give you a little hope...........I used to have rages when mixed, which was most of the time. Early on in treatment (meds and therapy) I learned to control it and can't remember the last time I lost it for no good reason. 5 years? And even then I was hormonal after just having a hysterectomy and had a migraine too. I honestly can't tell you how this stopped, just that it did. I do remember working on it in therapy but not what we did to help. Strange, I would think I would remember in detail but I only remember what job I had at the time. But if I stopped it is definitely possible for anyone to.

I suffer rages when depressed but the docs would probably consider me mixed at the time. I become very delusional and the delusion makes me very frightened and that fear has come out as rage because I feel stuck. It's defiantly a symptoms of my illness and is very troublesome. I've damaged a few items in my day. Recognizing I'm getting too overwhelmed before it happens is critical but so is being on meds and getting therapy. Writing it all out can help or calming down enough to express myself in a more productive way, recognizing what my needs are at that time can help. It's really hard when it happens.....I'm so embarrassed by it. It's a very rare symptom for me but it's a scary one because it feels like I lose all control in a way I'm not familiar with.

[markmcc21]

Originally Posted by scatterbrained04

Is it just one isolated incident when it happens? Or do you experience irritability for a few days in a row? How's sleep? Energy? Any racing thoughts? Impulsivity? Do you get restless?

The reason I'm asking is because sometimes when I get "rage" during depression, I've actually become mixed.

I think I'm depressed - good sleeping, poor energy, low motivation, no racing thoughts, etc. Is pretty severe every day I'm depressed. My moods tend to fluctuate a lot.

[markmcc21]

Originally Posted by Innerzone

Welcome to the forums, markmcc21!

There's been some discussion about rages lately. Not everyone has them. The way I see it is that while it's certainly not diagnostic, it *is* something that quite a few folks with BP deal with. Whether it's based in trauma or modeled growing up I don't know, but I think those might be a big factors for a lot of people that struggle with this.

Ok, now on to your actual question! I don't think raging is an issue per se when I'm depressed, *but* depression makes me feel VERY overwhelmed by even the simplest things and in that frustration, I can be pretty irritable and hard to deal with. That (for me) would be up to moderate depression. There comes a point where if it gets severe enough, I just don't care enough to even think of it.

But I honestly don't know for sure -- mood-wise -- where I stand when they happen -- or if it's particularly relevant. Better to recognize the signs regardless. Usually for me it's precipitated by stuffed down frustrations. Trauma and modeling of kaboom behavior growing up is at the root of mine. Not really mood state. Unless I've been missing something.

Thank you for the response. I agree, once I'm at the level of severe depression the anger and rage are gone (much worse emotions take over at that point!). But at moderate depression, the rage can be terrible. I've gotten better at controlling the rages, but they come nonetheless. It's confusing for my diagnosis and detrimental to my emotional mindset. A rage can set me up for much worse depression which lasts longer than it might otherwise last.

[~Christina]

Is your mood and rage due to a situation or just out of the blue?

If your mood truly is changing 2-3 times a week then you just haven't found baseline for a few months so you can have something to compare your mood too.

There is also a diagnosis called cyclothmia , which can be mood shifts in a day. Maybe look that up and see if it fits.

Hope you feel better soon and Welcome to PC

[markmcc21]

Originally Posted by ~Christina

Is your mood and rage due to a situation or just out of the blue?

If your mood truly is changing 2-3 times a week then you just haven't found baseline for a few months so you can have something to compare your mood too.

There is also a diagnosis called cyclothmia , which can be mood shifts in a day. Maybe look that up and see if it fits.

Hope you feel better soon and Welcome to PC

My rages are due to something specific, but it doesn't take much. Very little!
I had a hypomanic episode for 3 days a couple weeks ago followed by a roller coaster for a few days and then a 4-day baseline period. Historically, I spend more time depressed than in any other mood. I've looked at Cyclothymia and it doesn't seem to fit. Pdoc says it's bipolar II with atypical features or sometimes major depressive episode.

Thanks for your response!

[Victoria'smom]

When younger I was Dx.'d Intermittent explosive disorder but my old T said it was aggravated depression. whatever they call it I have a short fuse at times when normally I'm more of a door mat. I'm normally super patient, understanding and accepting. Meds specifically AP's help.

Originally Posted by markmcc21

I have bipolar II. My moods tend to change quickly (2-3 times per week). My rages tend to come when I'm depressed though. I'm under the impression rages are generally associated with (hypo)mania. Does anyone else suffer rages when depressed and what has your pdoc said about it?: confused:

My brother has "only" clinical depression, not bipolar. Certainly not really "only," because it's horrible for him and anyone who has clinical depression. He has rages. He's on an antidepressant now, and I don't know if he still has rages. It's a topic we don't discuss, for him anyway. His wife told him many, many years ago that if he didn't start medication, she'd divorce him.

[5150DirtDiva]

BPII as well, I can be rage-y at any point in my moods.