Dealing with anger
I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. I've recently got into a situation where I was both rationally and irrationally angry. While I was able to remove myself from the situation, the anger keeps growing. I've tried exercising, playing video games, distracting myself and nothing is working. I need help. I don't know how to dissipate the anger. I'm worried that I will end up doing something stupid and shouting at them. Any ideas?
Comments
Hey @throthfeth how are you going today?
I just wanted to let you know that we've sent you an email to check-in, so keep an eye out for that 🙂
Hi @throthfeth
Thank you for reaching out with your experiences. It's really admirable to hear that you were able to remove yourself from the situation which was making you so angry. I'm sorry to hear that you haven't been able to shake your anger though, and feel like it's getting worse. It seems like you've already tried a number of things and that nothing has stuck so far. We have an article here with some more suggestions on how to deal with anger which you may not have tried yet.
You mentioned that you have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I was wondering if you're seeking support with this diagnosis or with your anger from a mental health professional? Is there anyone in your life who you can speak to about the anger getting worse and how to manage the situation with this person?
The fact that you're doing so much to look after yourself says a lot about your self-control, and we're here to listen.
Hi Stormy, I just got my diagnosis and I am seeing the therapist later this weekend. However, this anger is growing and growing and I'm afraid I won't last till then before I snap. I'm afraid that I'm not in control of my own mind and I'm not sure what I can do to get out of it.
Hey @throthfeth,
I'm sorry to hear that your anger has gotten to such a stressful point. I'm glad to hear you've got an appt coming up so you can chat to your therapist about what is going on. It's also understandable that you're worried about the time until then. From your post, it sounds like something has happened to ignite this emotional state - and you say it is both rational and irrational.
Anger tends to emerge from a deeper emotion, such as hurt/pain or fear. Did something happen that was hurtful for you to experience? You are welcome to talk about it with us here if you feel it could help to get it off your chest. Up to you.
Emotions never last forever, and whilst it can be scary to not feel in control, you are already taking steps towards not letting your anger get out of control - even just talking here is a great way to reassure yourself that there are safe spaces you can turn to if the anger becomes overwhelming.
Did you manage to find anything in the article Stormy linked above that you could use to help you cope?
Hi @throthfeth,
Anger is definitely a difficult thing to manage, especially within the context of bipolar disorder due to the extreme mood fluctuations. It can easily feel completely overwhelming and out of control. Understanding the cause of the anger may help you to navigate it successfully. Do you have a mental health professional you can talk? There are a whole bunch of therapy-based skills that can help you to cope with anger. Do you have friends or family that you feel will understand? It can be really helpful to feel like you have people on your side and to know you have support through the challenges. There also always services like kids’ helpline and headspace that may be able to provide you with additional suggestions/resources especially during the most difficult moments.
As for practical suggestions, I find things like ripping up paper/cardboard, playing with fidgets/ squeezing stress balls, or even just writing down why I’m angry can make the anger more tolerable. There are also things like rage rooms if you want to break things safely. Anger is a necessary emotion, but it can be really frustrating when it feels uncontrollable and partially irrational.
Managing anger does take practice, but the more you do it, the easier it will get!
Best of luck.
