Well I have an extremely short fuse, and my temper has a tendency to get way out of hand.
I don't really do any bodily harm to anyone. Mainly it consists of me in a full fledged rage by taking my anger out on objects.
I'm not sure why I'm so full of rage at times. When I was younger you couldn't get me to lose my temper(well it was extremely rare).
I find it really hard to calm myself down, I'm just furious at the world and can't let that anger go, especially not in the heat of the moment.
Does anyone have any tips on easing the temper? I think I need to just take life so much less seriously. I just get so worked up.

I don't know if I have any good tips or not. I was thinking about anger today and I thought I'd pop over here and see what there was to read.
I handled some anger I had last week by firing one of my Doctors and calling up all the other doctors and getting some thoughts and referals to take my medical condition else where.
After about the second nurse I cried to, I felt better.
Actually, sometimes I get stinkey mad too.
But amazingly, I found that my temper was curiously tied to organic issues.
Not to say that I'm Ms. Mellow head at all times,
but a lot of my bizarre anger >where did that come from!< issues really did get better with medical treatment.
Like my blood sugar.
Oh goodness, don't even make me argue or wait when the ol' blood sugar is rapidly falling.
I am worse than a bad alligator with mood and disposition.
I was a beast.
Then I found out that my blood sugar was falling almost into the coma zone.
Yeh, that'll make ya crankey.
I got my blood sugar under control and I'm much better with out even trying.
I just don't fly off the handle now.
I still can't take much stress.
Not even fun stress. Like runnin around doing
sports stuff and all. But that's just the organic reality that we are trying to fix.
So sometimes maybe it's a mood thing and then other times, maybe we need to get our organic systems checked out.
Just my 2 cents.
kat

I appreciate you taking the time to post and try to help, Kat http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif I'll take it into consideration.

danaj, hi i just read your post, and boy did it hit home. here lately, i too, have flown off the deep end over nothing. i can't control it.... the anger and hate just takes over. i want to throw and destroy things. it can be the most simple thing that will get my blood boiling, or the most complicated thing. anymore, it doesn't seem like it matters.... i just lose it. i used to be so mellow, but now i am so angry. i don't know where it came from, why it hit me, how to control it, or hoe to get rid of it. i hate who i've become, i hate how i feel. i act like an insane person who just escaped a looney bin..... i feel totally pathetic at times. it all started a few months ago, i felt the anger building inside me, but i just kept it bottled. i thought it would go away, and one day i just snapped, and have no control over my emotions anymore. i have recently started therapy... my councelor is putting me into anger management. at first i did get pissed, but deep down i realized she was right, and i do need the classes. my actual therapy starts on the 16th... i am hoping we will find the root of my problem and fix it. i want to be my old self again, i truely hate who and what i've become. i wish you the best and i hope you too find the help you need. its horrible being someone else and not understanding why you are like you are when you never used to be. good luck, and i will keep you in my prayers. God bless!

IamSoAngry- thank you for taking the time to respond and offer help and advice. I appreciate it tremendously http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif I'll reply more when I get the chance, but I just wanted to let you know I just saw your reply and am glad to hear you're doing better. Maybe someday I can get to a point where I can be happy about myself and lack of problem.

Igr36- I know what you mean. Anger is usually used to cover up sadness, or other emotions. Dr Phil taught me that one. Way back, when I was able to watch him on Oprah once a week. Thank you also for your wonderful reply, your points were duly noted.
Thanks everyone for the help!

Has anyone ever taken anger management classes and if so, have they helped? Any feedback would be appreciated!

DanaJ ......... Since I seldom hear anger defined I thought I would put in my two cents. Anger is an emotion designed to mobilize force to tear something apart. When it is released under control and aimed at tearing up the PROBLEM while building up people, there is nothing wrong with it. But when it grows out of pride, hurt feelings, etc. it's wrong. Also there may be a physical problem that causes it.

RL@

post>>Also there may be a physical problem that causes it.<<

Beta Blockers are a classification of medications that are prescribed for heart rhythm problems.
However, some of the Beta Blockers are also prescribed for anger management.
There are some heart problems, like the mitral valve prolapse that have been linked to the problems of anxiety and sometimes anger.
The Mitral Valve prolapse is a relatively harmless heart dysfunction.
However, a disturbence in the heart rhythm will definately cause for ones life defense systems to clock into overtime. It's the Fight or Flight response.
kat

Well Danaj I think that you should take life seriously but not too seriously because you could blow a fuse and my dad says(being a neurologist) that you could have a stroke if you get too mad.I think you should count to ten or take a few minutes and be alone or go where you can't be bothred and think about what anger really does for you . Hope to hear more from you!!!!!

My husband and I both struggle with anger problems, due to various reasons. We got so deep into those problems that we found ourselves smashing glasses against the wall, kicking dents in our car, everything. It was horrible! But about a year ago, we had finally had enough. We wanted kids, and we really needed to get ahold of ourselves before trying to bring an innocent life into the picture. Thankfully, we found something that worked miracles in our lives: PRAYER. We had both lost touch with our spirituality and by renewing our faith it seemed like our whole world got brighter. Now when we argue and we start to feel like we are going to lose it on something, we sit down and try to let God calm us by talking to him and blocking the rest of the worl d out. It sounds simple, but it works. If you are religious, I would suggest trying it out. The only downside: if you pray while you are angry its harder to make excuses for something you know is your fault! Let me know what you think and how it goes.

Thanks angelgirl. I appreciate the input. I know for a fact that I need to take life a lot less seriously. I get so angry I feel as if I'm going to explode, adn it's usually b/c I feel so cheated lately. There are a million reasons why I get angry all the time, but nothing seems to work wonders- yet. I'll try your suggestion again(I have in the past, but I just can't allow myself to let go of whatver infriates me. I know that's my main problem).

Yaya, I appreciate your input also. It's good to hear such variety of responses! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif I shall try yours also. I need all the help I can get, and this isn't the time to be picky. Thanks!

Wow did I have a wake up call the other night. For once it didn't involve anger on my part, in any way.
I was coming home around 9:30pm on a thursday night. I had driven about 5 miles tops and I stopped at a light. I was next to a big pickup truck(2 lanes) adn when the light turned green apparently I had passed him as the lanes merged into one. I was just driving, I din't cut him off or do anything whatsoever. Apparently he didn't like the fact that I was in front of him- for whatever reason. Anyway I then realized he was barreling down on me, and kept hitting the gas. I naturally sped up when I realized this guy was pissed off, really bad. The more I sped, the more he sped. The thing was, if I hadn't sped up he would have hit me intentionally, and I sure as hell wasn't letting that one happen. He kept trying to ram me, or run me off the road. It was pitch black out and of course no one was on the road(figures). I ended up going about 70 down this two lane town(speed limit was 40), praying cops would be somewhere in sight. Of course not, that wouldn't happen. I was so scared, I thought he was going to kill me, and all I could think about was making it out of this alive. He kept tryin to hit me, and keep in mind he had this huge pickup, a hell of a lot bigger than my car. I kept speeding up, and forcing myself to NOT look into my rearview mirror. I kept peeking into my side view mirror and the situation was just gettin worse. I was thinking he would hit me, get out of his car and shoot me, or rape me etc. Who knows what he would have done. All I kept thinkign about was how I could get myself out of this. I was conjuring up ideas about where to go, where to pull into(anywhere light and full of people, but that was hard to find). Finally I lost him somehow, which was good beign that I was on empty. I was shaking so bad and an emotional wreck. I can't tell you how thankful I was to be alive, and in one piece. That whole night I spent shaking and crying, telling my partner that I loved him etc.
Man, I did not one thing to deserve that. I hadn't made any contact whatsoever with the driver, adn why he did what he did is and will always be beyond me. I think it changed my outlook and my attitude. Ever since then, my temper on the roads has been very in control. I'm just thankful to be alive. I just can't get over the fact that it happened the one time I did ntohing at all to spark that fire in his mind. It's unreal. There are no words.


[This message has been edited by Zesty (edited 05-07-2003).]

have you ever watched training day or changing lanes? its sort of like real life where a person finds out theres lots of bad guys out there more than you think.
if a person chased after you with a knife you would tell the police.i think you should report this person. he could do it to someone else who is not such a good driver.

[This message has been edited by iduno (edited 05-06-2003).]

Originally posted by iduno:
have you ever watched training day or changing lanes? its sort of like real life where a person finds out theres lots of bad guys out there more than you think.
if a person chased after you with a knife you would tell the police.i think you should report this person. he could do it to someone else who is not such a good driver.

[This message has been edited by iduno (edited 05-06-2003).]


Except the fact that it's not possible in my situation. It was pitch black out, he was behind me, and his high beams had me blinded. All I know is that it looked to be a big pickup. Nothing more, nothing less.
Are you kidding? the police don't care. Within the last 3 days I've at least 3 encounters with drunk drivers. Where are the police? Funny how they are always around hanging out doing nothing, then something does happen and they're nowhere to be found. Just my experience.
Also, there's the risk of finding out who reported them. Unlikely, but it's a scare that would cross my mind. Anyway, if there was a way to report the guy, there's no doubt I would.



[This message has been edited by DanaJ (edited 05-07-2003).]

Dana - I can SO relate. I, too, get worked up so easily and little things bother me to the point that I simmer, stew and implode on the inside. I don't exercise so there's no release or decompression - was doing pain killers which made me like people in general and I was able to tolerate little things like people dragging their feet when they walk, crying kids/babies, loud conversations, etc., but, soon even the pain meds didn't help and I was in MORE of a foul mood because I could no longer get the "buzz". Three days ago (get this) I got into a shouting names match with a mother and daughters who screamed dysfunction and I lowered myself to call them names - it all started when one of the women rudely grabbed a cart in the store I had reached for and I said, "excuse you!" and she said, "yah whatever" and I said, "you better watch your mouth!" I left the store in a huff and unable to buy stuff I needed because I was so shaken by this then I got even madder and WENT BACK to the store and walked by her and called her "fat ass" and she and her mother and little sisters started laying into me - it was like we were feeding off each other. I cannot believe this! I made like I called the cops and left, still even more shaken, went shopping to calm down but I thought about it till I went to bed and wondered that we are all mirrors and attract to ourselves the energy we project/emanate and I guess I needed this incident to see how much I hated what I've become, so out of control and angry and a school girl! I'm 39! I just posted and asked if anyone meditates as they say it calms you enormously. I can remember as far back as my first job - I would like everyone then little by little they would start getting on my nerves then I ended up hating them and either quitting or getting fired. What is up with me? Why all the rage? A counselor said that it's because of emotional abuse I received as a child, but, parents aren't perfect and I can't blame them for all my shortcomings. It's just hard to change and I need to to enjoy the rest of my life before I have a heart attack http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/bang.gif Sorry for rambling. Guess I have a lot to say and so much has been pent up inside for too long! Thanks for listening and I'm glad you didn't get hurt! Take care, Anna

Hi Anna! Thank you for your post and taking the time to reply http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif
My anger seems to have gotten worse. Right now I'm in a really bad position at work. There is this one ***** who has caused me to threaten my boss(b/c she has major issues etc). Now, ever since I had the talk with my boss, he has been giving me the worst attitude, and has made my job a living hell. It really sucks b/c the first half of the day I have to work with him, assisting with surgeries etc....so I can't just go off and do my work away from him.
Anyway, I'm going to read your post about meditation, adn try it.
I'm pretty open to trying anything, being that I haven't gotten around to anger management yet, and doubt I will anytime soon. *sigh*
I've been so worked up over it lately that I've actually had these horrendous abdominal pains and migrains almost nonstop for over a week now. It's only getting owrse(the situation). I try to not bring work home with me, but it's impossible. It effects my relationship and all other aspects. I'm always grumpy and in a real edgy mood, where the slightest thing can really cause me to go ballistic. Ugh.
I'm going to do my new resume and really put time into looking for a job.

The easiest way to control anger is to understand other people. Lets say someone shouted at you for no reason, then you could just think "wow, this guy must've had a really tough day" or "This guy probably had a really bad childhood, I feel sorry for him". You can also think to yourself that this person is just "playing around" and not actually angry and shouting, (think about this: a guy slipping on a banana and ending up falling on his back, when he gets back up, he is scolding the banana for hours until he is really late for work).This is what I think all the time when my older brother scolds and swears at me, I look normal but I am actually laughing hard on the inside.