[chris211]

I have a friend who loses his temper, throws things and breaks things when things don't go right. For example, when doing DIY, if something is measured incorrectly or cut wrong, tools will be thrown on the floor, and work may be destroyed.
Is this a personality disorder?

[Skeezyks]

Hello chris211: I'm not aware that inability to control one's temper is necessarily a personality disorder in-&-of itself. It may be one aspect of some personality disorders I suppose. But I'm not a psychologist. So I could well be mistaken. Perhaps other members here on PC may have more information to share with regard to this.

I see this is your first post here on PC. So... welcome to PsychCentral… from the Skeezyks! I hope you find the time you spend here to be of benefit.

PsychCentral is a great place to get information as well as support for mental health issues. There are many knowledgeable & caring members here. The more you post, & reply to other members’ posts, the more a part of the community you will become. Plus there are social groups you can join & chat rooms where you’ll be able to connect with other PC members in real time (once your first 5 posts have been reviewed & approved.) Lots of great stuff! So please keep posting!

[*Laurie*]

I don't know whether or not your friend has a personality disorder, but it sounds as though he has an anger management issue. An anger/rage problem could be indicative of a mental illness, but it would take a medical professional to actually diagnose.

gosh, I hate to think about his personal relationships.

Again, we are not in a position to diagnose - even given more information. A personality disorder is possible but there can be so much more. I could be that it isn't even a mental health issue at all but instead an anger management problem. I would suggest this has likely been a learned behavior as opposed to mental health.

Hard to manage or deal with I imagine. What about forming an intervention.

You may have to make a tough decision and find yourself telling this individual that while they are important to you, you simply cannot put yourself in the middle of this.

[MickeyCheeky]

Check out a doctor.. it could be dangerous in the long run

[BLUEDOVE]

It was probably modeled to him when he was a child. A good
thing for him to do is look upon it as disrespecting himself,plus
suggest "Mindfulness" training (look it up).

[Thunder Bow]

Frustration over a project is normal. When he starts getting mad at himself, then therapy may be suggested.

[Gus1234U]

i 'suffered' from this condition for many years, decades, almost. i came to believe that it is a brain chemistry disorder, and is as difficult to 'control' as any other mood disorder,, like an OCD.

what eventually helped me was the Binaural Beats, which helped my brain to rebalance itself. this is often NOT a conduct disorder, which may be helped with cognitive therapy, or other non-interventions. i did respond to personal 'coaching', where someone who knew how could get my attention, and instruct me how to move out of that state.

i hope you don't take what happens personally, and do not desert your friend just because he suffers so terribly when experiencing frustration.

[bounceback]

I had this problem. I better control it now because of years of therapy and anger management classes besides medication. I have family members who still do this. It is an awful way to live. I would break my own stuff and self harm (mostly I would hurt myself) besides scream and rage. I had a lot of inner turmoil and didn't know how to express it. I have a brother who takes out his anger on everybody else and a sister you have to walk on eggshells around. They haven't gotten help. We learned it from our father. Our father would get angry and smash stuff. Of all 5 kids my parents had, only 1 didn't have an anger issue. I remember being 4 or 5 years old and my dad getting mad because the house wasn't cleaned to his satisfaction so he threw the kitchen table and everything on it out at the window, everything off the floors out the window, and then we had to pick it up. This was just one of many incidents that went on growing up. There was 5 of us and the oldest was 10. We would fight over a game as kids and he would tear it up. (my dad also had a horrible upbringing so I kind of understand this). He would break bunk beds etc. This is what was modelled to us.

I was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, ptsd, anxiety, and major depression so it could be part of a personality disorder.