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sudden short bursts of unreassonable anger

I have been seeing a man who is prone to short bursts of unreassonable and unprovoked temper tantrums.example recently went together on a short cruise. Last day onver the public address system came an announcement that we could not dock at the termination port due rough weather. He flew into a rage,abused me, told me how much he had hated the cruise,never wanted to see me again etc.
This is exactly the pattern of similar bursts since I have been seeing him over the last 9 months. He later apologizes and says he realizes he was unreasonable but what causes him to do this? I never retaliate,never shout back in response.
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Avatar universal
This all sounds so familiar. But I have "sucked it up" for 28 years now. Before I even married my husband I knew he was prone to outbursts of anger, and yet I still married. My parents relationship was abusive and I promised myself that I would never repeat my parents relationship. Well guess what? I did, the only difference was my mother divorced my father after 13 years. Apparently I'm not that brave. I have been "walking on eggshells" my whole married life. People have told me to leave him, but some of you might know, that's easier said than done. He's adopted and raised by his grandparents and he rarely spoke about his family life. We have gone through so much furniture and crockery in our 28 year relationship, but I can't leave. Why? Mainly because I fear change myself, and I'm not confident I would survive financially on my own. Unfortunately my mother, who has been through 3 marriages and numerous other relationships, is now living with us. The relationship between my mother and husband isn't the best either. They hate each other, which could be contributing to whatever other stress he is under. It probably sounds like I'm just making excuses for him, but I am afraid of him, and a few nights ago he got angry with one of our dogs for snapping at another older dog...to the point that he got up and wanted to harm the dog. He was feeding them tidbits and had a pocket knife in his hand. I tried to pull him away from the dog and he turned on me and told me not to pull on him and he threatened to stab me with the knife. This is the first time he has actually threatened me with a weapon. And 10 minutes later he was his normal self. I've been trying to give his behaviour/disorder a name and came up with the intermittent explosive disorder, which described it perfectly. I myself suffer from major medical depression and insomnia and suffer from dermatillomania, I pick the skin on my lips. I know my mental state is always dependent on what mood my mother or my husband is in. I have had nervous breakdowns. My mother is also very manipulative and our relationship is strained most of the time. I know each one of you reading this is saying "GET OUT" but I just can't. But I need to do something, I'm just not sure what. Should I consult our family doctor?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I am trying to work out how to delete some nerdy "person" (actually obviously a business with lots of sub agents!!) called DAVID OLIVER off my case! Originally when i thought mytime's condition might have been bipolar I  wrote to that site. Now, i receive up to 4 or 5 spam emails per day from someone who deports to be 'David Oliver" Try putting such person on ignore....all his subbies just come right in anyhow! G-r-r-r! Enough to send anyone who is actually quite stable around the twist!!! DAVID OLIVER PLEASE GET OFF MY CASE!!
Thank gfoodness for genuine sites like  Medhelp!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
a nonsense poem i wrote a couple of years ago:-

Hello hello
and a Ho! Ho! Ho!
if santa isnt kind to you
this is the way to go :-

Just threaten something shocking
so he'd wish he wasnt born
If he doesnt fill your  stocking
On Christmas Morn!

You wont leave him any turkey
if he doesn’t come across!
You'll make venison -beef jerky
and Rudolph will be his loss!

If he tries to get there faster
and visit every town
You'll fill the chimneys up with plaster
so he sticks when he goes down!

You'll fill him up with whiskey
so he cannot find his way
Make the reindeer drunk and frisky
so they sabotage the sleigh!

If he leaves in quite a hurry
for the North Pole for supplies
Those deer are cause to worry
They’re too drunk to fly the skies!

then change all the Christmas wishes
from those lists he's checking  twice
so he's in complete confusion
as to who's naughty, and nice!  

After all that who will blame him
If he stays away next year
But maybe Mrs Claus will tame him
With sweet nothings in his ear!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Yes Kmathis i agree with you about the therapeutic value of poetry writing. I have swung my tongue into my cheek and written some doosies at times after  waking in the night almost to the point of dispair over some problem , then have laughed myself back to sleep after my imagination has run riot and thus  influenced my pen..
But now I am wondering how much our upbringing influences our behaviour?. I have a post middle aged spinster daughter who has been known to throw tantrums and as i reflect on her up bringing i wonder how much of such behaviour is because I was so ambitious for her I concentrated too much on her academic achievements at the expense of  ensuring she had  the necessary social skills?
Certainly in her case she would under no circumstances have "looked that gift horse in the mouth" -the cruise above mentioned was a retirement gift from myself to the  less than appreciative' gentleman under discussion- but I have noted  similar character traits  between the two.
Helpful - 0
675316 tn?1234215095
i write poetry about my feelings it help me sometimes cope with things
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
This has certainly developed into an interesting discussion. i am so pleased i discovered this site.
I have told "Mr Grumpy" (as one of my friends has christened him) that I have joined this forum site in the hope that he will also read it and see how ridiculous and potentially dangerous his behaviour is.
However, he misinterpreted this and has accused me of  "trying to push him over the edge so that I would have something to write about" - I am a writer - some poetry, eulogies, weddings etc and a monthly newspaper column but I would certainly never write publically about anything so personal and close to home other than  in an annonomous situation such as this.
It seems unlikely I will see him again and of course I will suffer withdrawal symptoms for a time but ultimately we move on.

Helpful - 0
684030 tn?1415612323
yes...
Change (or, rather... one's immaturity in accepting change) is the triggering factor
(no gun pun intended!) These individuals, with the anger issues, will indeed percieve anything that disrupts their sense of continuity and balance as a genuine threat.
Perhaps, it's a primal instinct; but, most likely it's a negative learned behavior and an
overt display of poor coping skills. In either case, these emotionl outbursts are well beyond juvenile; extremely destructive; embarassing; and unacceptable... as you have no doubt already discovered.
You could be a submissive pacifying support to him, should you so desire to do so
(for too long a time, I did so with my guy). Just make sure that you don't become his doormat (as I was becoming, with my guy).

My best wishes to you both... "iam1butterfly"

Helpful - 0
675316 tn?1234215095
i wish guns were illegal here and in some cases they are but you can still buy them on the streets so it doesn't matter. i'm glad yours is only yelling although that is rough too. you seem very strong to deal with it. wish i could. i get yelled at i yell back. hope you never have to go to a family gathering if they are all that way.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks KMathis..not worried about the guns...I am in Australia and guns are illegal and I cannot imagine him throwing me out of a car either.
The tantrums are exactly  like a naughty child  who screams and yells in a supermarket because he is denied a sweet-certainly not like a person nearer to 60 years old than 6!

But the man in question doesnt seem to think he has ANY  problems so there will obviously be no solution.
I did ask him if his brothers/sisters/parents/daughter/ex all had short fuses and each answer was afirmative, so i reminded myself to be glad  that i had never had to spend Christmas with that family!  **smile**Imagine what it must be like?
Interested to note that usual remark of  "well it must be YOUR fault because i have never treated a lady thus before" etc etc  is also a common excuse. and I admit he did until now succeed in making me feel perhaps I WAS in some way to blame which is why i began asking questions about the different causes.
The suggestion of  'Iam1Butterfly' is interesting as the man in question is going through some huge changes in his life at the moment. Thanks for your interest. Appreciate your input. Mytimesanger.
Helpful - 0
675316 tn?1234215095
if your bf is abusive get out quick and quiet. if he has a problem he needs to fix it u can't. i've been in many abusive relationships ,extremely abusive. and the famous words are i'm sorry!  i was stupid and accepted later to face guns to my head, being thrown out a moving car ext.... don't put yourself through it. with out help once an abuser always an abuser. take it from someone who knows.i wish you all the best and hope things work out for you.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks so much for your comments. Iam1Butterfly apologies do wear thin after a time. To me, if I am sorry for something and say so then I am indicating I will do my best not to behave in such a way again,otherwise such apology is shallow ands futile. "I am sorry" does not always make everything right.
Your comments re change is significant as  the man in question has had some big changes in his life recently.
IlAdvocate it is not so easy to give up on someone whom one cares about but I understand where you are coming from.
Again thank you both...Given me lots to think about.  Mytimesanger.
Helpful - 0
684030 tn?1415612323
I believe I know exactly what your going through as I was in a 1 year relationship with a man who would typically react much the same way that you described the man in your life.
From what I personally experianced with my former boyfriend, the anger is a manifistation of  deep inner frustration that comes as a result of an inability to cope with change, particularly sudden change.
My ex-boyfriend would "blow-up" over any minor change that to others would seem benign and insignificant. For instance, if someone was to sit too close to us at a park or at a beach that would provoke a very angry outburst laced with profanity. One day, the battery in my car's keyless remote malfunctioned; so, we went to the auto dealership to have the device checked out. When the dealership custodian informed us that the facility was closed, my boyfriend grew so angry that I thought that he was going to beat up the man. Likewise, if someone was to park their car too close to where we were parked (especially, if there were plenty of other empty parking spaces) that would set him off. Another time, my ex-boyfriend got so upset over a oil change policy at a local automotive store that he chased the store's manager around the store's parking lot.
And, I saw a lot of road rage coming from him as well so, I usually insisted on driving. Ultimately, we broke up over a change in plans. I caught a bad cold and had to reschedule a 1 day out-of-town trip that we were both looking forward to. He accused me of "...thinking only of self, while not liking self." And, that was the last I've heard from him.
So, whether or not you can relate to any of this, I'm not sure. Like you, I never engaged
my "ex" in an arguement. I would do as the saying goes... "suck it up!"
But, at least your guy apologizes... and, I would see that as somewhat promising.
My guy rarely, if ever apologized.
And, when he did, it was always in the form of sarcasm.
If your interested in helpful reading, I would recommend: "Stop Walking on Eggshells,"
by Paul Mason; "Breaking Free from Boomerang Love," by Lynn Melville and "I Hate You,
Don't Leave Me," by Robert O. Friedel.
I wish you well.

iam1butterfly



Helpful - 0
585414 tn?1288941302
It would be hard to say as it would depend on what else is wrong in his life and what other symptoms he has whether its psychiatric and if so what it is. All I know is that is emotional abuse and perhaps there is physical abuse as well. Regardless get away from him. Its good to help someone like that but not when you are the receiving end of their abuse. Quietly seperate from him and then if he continues to contact you take out a restraining order because he hasn't been physically abusive he could and/or will be. If you want him to seek psychiatric help speak to someone who knows him and let them be the one to explain it. If you do it could make things worse. Let it come from someone whom he won't confront.
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