Aggressive irritation is an unfortunate symptom of bipolar disorder. It often comes with a down swing or a mixed episode where you’re manic and depressed at the same time.
We all experience irritation- that’s a normal part of life. Getting cut off on the freeway- rude people- crowds and long lines at the supermarket can make us irritated. We may mutter under our breath and give a lot of dirty looks when we get in these situations.
Bipolar aggressive irritation is different- it has a lot of strength behind it. Instead of just getting irritated when we get cut off on the freeway- we yell and scream, honk the horn and if it’s particularly bad- actually chase down the person with our car. Oh yes, this happens!
If someone is rude to a person in an aggressive irritated mood swing- they had better watch out- we may say, “What the @$@#$#@ are you looking at! You have a problem with me!” And we will move in on them and practically growl.
Bipolar aggressive irritation is different– it has a lot of strength behind it.
Some other signs of this aggressive irritation: throwing things- such as wanting to throw my $%#%% computer across the room when the internet won’t work! Or feeling my head and neck jerk because I’m so angry at something.
This is NOT good stuff, but it’s common.
If you love someone with bipolar, especially a man in his 20s, this may be all too familiar.
Here is some good news. Medications can work wonders with irritation. Then behavior modification has to become a part of life.
When I get irritated, angry and aggressive, I have learned to calm myself down- and at least stop myself before I take my aggression too far!
Julie
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We have a son with Schizoaffective Disorder with this problem since he became ill about 7 years ago. No parent, especially someone with a child or grandchild in the family home, should put up with this abusive, dangerous behavior! The explosive words and behavior are symptoms of uncontrolled SMI. Parents/family needs to start to document what’s happening in a journal, learn Julie’s techniques of dealing with people in this state from her books & articles, and call CRISIS line every time this happens and you are afraid. Eventually they will do something (holes in walls? throwing/breaking objects?) that gets the crisis responders to come out & determine if they will be detained as a danger or gravely disabled. SAY you are afraid of them. Going to the hospital is the only way they will get help for this serious mental illness. If they’ve been abusive, don’t let them come home. Tell the ITA court that they need somewhere else to live, supportive housing, you are afraid. Or use the leverage that ONLY if they consent to an injectable Med that lasts a month or more will they be allowed home. A 69 year old shouldn’t have to deal with this, nor the innocent grandchild. Our son is on anti-psychotic meds now & rarely gets super angry, and knows to go for a walk if it starts to heat up…..we also know not to make things worse by arguing. There is help.
35y.o. woman with Bipolar here. I struggled with yelling and throwing things, with my temper on a hair trigger, in my late teens and early 20s. Got it under control really well until recently. I have RA now and the pain, stiffness, fatigue, and brain fog have gotten really severe. I feel like they’ve robbed me of a lot of what I call “the tools in my mental health toolbox.” Tools like enough sleep (pain and fatigue make adequate sleep almost impossible sometimes,) routine (never know if it’s going to be a good day where I can get a lot done or a bad one where I just have to rest,) and several other things. I get depressed over my health but I also have weeks where my brain is really “up” but my body is in bad shape. So, I’ve been getting a lot of the mixed mania/depression symptoms again. I’m trying to control it but it’s a new learning curve. I’ve had several episodes recently where I scream, curse, and get so mad I’m shaking uncontrollably. That’s not like me AT ALL when I’m stable. Then my body is so worn out I have to sleep for hours in the middle of the day. I had to quit my job because the combination of the 2 conditions has been kicking my but for the past 2 years. There’s been a lot of experimenting to find what medicines will work for each condition with not a lot of success yet. I’m trying to be hopeful though. I think my psychiatrist and my rheumatologist are really trying to help, which hasn’t always been the case with other doctors I’ve had. They actually started talking with each other last month!
I wouldn’t wish either of these conditions on anybody but I’m thankful that medicine has come this far. I’m choosing to be thankful for every small mercy/blessing instead of focusing on the things I’ve lost. I don’t make excuses. I do apologize and try to make it right. I keep trying to do better but also to forgive myself for the times I end up handling all of this so poorly.
Thank you for this. We are just beginning to understand our daughter’s diagnosis of SchizoAffective and have been on a rollercoaster for over a year now.
Does anyone have experience with this and a medication that’s been successful for them? I suffer with this and have been trying various meds for three years now to no avail.
Does anyone have experience with this and a medication that’s been successful for them? I suffer with this and have been trying various meds for three years now to no avail.
I have been on it for about 4 years now and it does help. You still have your times but not as often. It is a very expensive medicine. Thank God my insurance covers it. If your insurance covers it I really recommend taking it.
What medication are you referring to?
Having a mental illness is not an excuse or good reason to mistreat others. While no one chooses to be I’ll at some point you become an adult and are responsible for your own actions. I wonder if he is taking his meds and actively seeking treatment. It is very difficult to maintain healthy relationships when you are not receiving treatment. You can only encourage him to get help but ultimately it’s his responsibility. It angers me when people use their diagnoses to excuse their bad behavior. Tell him he needs to step up and get help or he can live somewhere else. Loving someone does not mean enabling their abuse. Good luck