[CrackedLCD]

I used to be an extremely loving, caring person. I still am, but not to the extent that I used to be.

I get irritated and angry with people REALLY EASY. Every person I see at school I feel like punching. I HATE when people look at me for more than a second. I feel like I could do something violent and regretful at any moment.

How do you guys cope with your anger? Working out helps for me, but I need something that is instant.

[Direction]

Something instant...is there something you can carry in a back pack...a rubbing stone...or any kind of fidget that could cause a pause in the thought process...grabbing some paper and writing down everything at that moment that is making you get irritated and angry...I usually make sure it shreaded when I'm done...

For those big days...find a way to work out...

I'm glad that you see yourself as still "extremely loving, caring person"...that is important to always remember...

[comediktragedi]

Breathe. Take a second to sit back, and remember who you are, and that it's just the illness (or whatever you want to call it) talking. Those whacked out neurotransmitters. Take a deep breath. I used to think that it was cheesy, and cliche, but it has helped me so much with that knee-jerk, "I really really want to punch you in the face" reaction that you are talking about. I get it too...

[Bellax3]

I know what you mean. Today I went from fairly stable (a little down) to super depressed, to out right pissed, and back down to depressed. I'm not diagnosed, I haven't seeked help because I don't want to be labeled. I don't want to have it confirmed, because I don't want to have it. Anyway, I only told one person about it, and today on the bus she kept pestering me about what was wrong, and I told her she was an idiot if she couldn't figure it out. finally, I had to tell her, and she had the nerve to tell me that I'm just going through a normal phase. Yeah, going from suicidal to "high on life" in one day is completely normal...she doesn't know that though- I have told her very little, and I basically told her to shut up because I wasn't going to deal with her. So she apparently was in a happy mood, and started making high pitched noises and bopping up and down, which was the most irritating thing in the world at the momment, so I told her to stop, and she didn't. I raised my voice and warned her again that I wasn't joking, and she needed to stop. She still didn't stop. I picked up my books and started to slam her with them, she put her arms up and I stopped just short of hitting her. I told her to move to another seat because I wasn't going to be able to handle her. Not today. She said there was nowhere to sit, and continued. I smacked her shoulder, and yelled at her. people looked over, and she started to say "you know, maybe you are, sad, happy, angry..." but at this point people were looking at us, so I screamed "No ****ing DUH!" and tried to push her off the seat. she caught herself by grabbing onto the next seat, and didn't say a word for the rest of the ride home. When I'm angry, I honestly don't know what to do with myself. I try to take deep breaths and bring myself out of the situation- like on the bus, i stared out the window, breathed deeply, and tried to ignore her next to me. One thing that honestly does help me deal with the situation right then, but really isn't a good coping method AT ALL is thinking about SI, and imagining it...but it also adds anxiety to hurry up and get home.

I should stop now- the blind leading the blind is never good, is it?

[Jifiner]

If anyone has the answer I think we would all love to hear it.

I go through times where I just rage at anyone and over anything (this past weekend being one example). I get mad at hubby, kids, drivers on the road, the grocery store clerk, the list could go on and on. The best thing I can do is just stay away from everyone as much as possible. It could be your meds reacting or overreacting. Outside stimuli can make a big difference. Try to not let everything overwhelm you - that is when I get the most angry/stressed/whatever!

[Cthomas]

ok wish i had some Sound advice. but the only thing that works for me is exercise. otherwise i cannot and wont get past the anger. sometimes it dont even work. but god knows i try. i lost my aunt today and did 2.5 hours on my elliptical. needless to say i hurt....LOL

but.....the day is getting better....hope this helps for the record - making myself do something during times of anger is much harder than they let on. i have to put myself on that machine and force myself to stay until im physically exhausted. and usually thats when i get off the machine, and sweat for a good 30 minutes. by that time my brain catches up with my muscle. its hard but it can be done.
Colleen

[BlueFaith]

I do what comediktragedi does. I focus on my breathing. I think to myself...breathe in, breathe out....over and over again until the rage passes. I concentrate on the air going into and coming out of my body until my anger has subsided enough for me not to do anything I will regret. Because there have been times I've done things I now regret. This is just my coping mechanism. REALLY concentrate on the breathing.

[cantstopcrying]

Originally Posted by Bellax3

II'm not diagnosed, I haven't seeked help because I don't want to be labeled. I don't want to have it confirmed, because I don't want to have it.

Just want to toss out there that if you broke your arm, you would wear a cast, right? If you had to have your appendix out, you would have surgery. If you had diabetes, you would take insulin. If you had cancer you would be treated. I'm going to get on my soapbox herefor a minute. We can't stop people from "labeling" "us" if "we" don't stop labelling ourselves. Depression, the desire to SI, bipolar...it's all a medical condition. It is a chemical imbalance in the brain. It is no different than arthritis or diabetes or a broken bone! I'm certainly not saying go around and broadcast it to the whole school anymore than you would if you had anyother other kind of illness. What I am encouraging is for you to please take a step back and see how you are withholding help from yourself. It's like if you had a cold and there was cold medicine on the table but you told yourself you're too tough to need cold medicine. TAKE IT. Take the help that is out there. There is an awesome billboard on my way to work. It has a picture of a man on it and it says: I am a husband, a father, an artist. I am bipolar. Mental illness is something I have, not something I am. Ok, jumping down off my soapbox now. Regarding your anger--Koosh balls work great! So does bubblewrap. Honest to God I used to have bubblewrap in my desk at work (try it in your locker). Silly putty, too. It's quite, you can stretch it, twist it, dig your fingers in it (and make really cool imprints from newspaper!)

[Vinly_Twine]

I haven't been dx with bipolar..but i go threw the SAME things as most of you do...there are times i am happy..i get all mooshy and lovely dovey...then the next i feel nothing ..then i got pissed...little things upset me...it could be a look and something said i fing out of line atm..and i will try to isolate myself until i calm down...I wish i could control my anger better..and i have been trying hard not to take things to heart so much and let things just pass...its hard at times. I haven't had a high I think in a year and im mostly calm now...i realize being around negative creates more stress and tentsion and explosive moods....its hard to stay happy if you are always around negative people...I have changed that part in my life for the most par..i just can't escape it from my husband i block him out threw my games..and in my game...i am around posative people that i know really care about me. They help me feel loved and support me. Having that helps things out a great deal for me...I really hope you all find what helps make you happy.

[Schatje]

I try and breathe deep and then I bash these people about in my head. Once I've done that for awhile I try and distract myself. I find that distraction can be my best friend in a lot of things.

[metalmommy]

I have the same problem. My pyshciatrist has suggested a cognitive theripist to relearn behaviors, thats if you have to money to see one. That is the only thing holding me back from going

[skeeweeaka]

Originally Posted by metalmommy

I have the same problem. My pyshciatrist has suggested a cognitive theripist to relearn behaviors, thats if you have to money to see one. That is the only thing holding me back from going

There are also Cognitive Therapy books that one can purchase that are a lot less expensive than a Cognitive Therapist.... I'm sure if you did some research you could possibly either find some on this board or google them...

That said....exercising helps me sometimes...but sometimes nothing does...lately I have been trying the positive thought, positive action thing in the Self Esteem thread....basically trying to focus my mind on love and happiness and behaviors that contribute to love and happiness... It may sound hokie, but it is a form of cognitive therapy, changing your thoughts, changing your actions, to change your life... Honestly, for the last couple of days it has been helping me to cope with my life and actually to see things from a different perspective...for once in a very long time I have hope...

Listen, this is an illness and we don't have a lot of control over a lot of things....however...our thoughts with time we can control....let's all start there...

TJ

[chalmette70043]

Hi Cracked. I'm the same as you. I've always been a nice , caring person. Still am. But, yes anger has taken over me too.

For about a year i would take my bat to the inside framing of a house and just beat the hell out of those two by fours till they broke in half. A few times went after crane operators. I dont suggest doing either of these things though. In my situation at that time, the beating on the houses were okay to do. And i was able to get some anger out.

I suggest maybe taking a softball or somthing similar and finding a brick wall and just throwing it as hard as you can.

If your in school, crumple pieces of paper till theres nothing left of them to crumple.

Someone told me the other day, start tapping your foot or fingers. Havent tried it yet, so cant say it works.

You gotten so many great suggestions from everyone here. I hope you find someting out of them that does help. Good Luck.

chalmette