Anger and Agression

[horselover65]

My husband says I have been mean lately - and I agree. This has gotten worse over the past several years and this summer, it started to take over. I'd had a lot of irritability before, but I wasn't consistently angry or aggressive. I have mostly experienced depression with a little hypomania and some mixed stages. I never hurt anyone but myself. I am not sure if this is related to my bipolar or the result of a head injury a few years ago or a combination of the two. I definitely noticed changes after the head injury, but that was never really treated. I should have gone to the hospital at the time and didn't. (Long story). By the time I saw someone, they simply confirmed what we suspected. I know this has left me with intellectual deficits and made me even more sensitive. I suspect that a couple of things that started this summer have simply left me with zero tolerance. My psychiatrist wants to treat the bipolar symptoms first, then go on to a laundry list of other issues. What do you do to help with aggression? How do you stop the rages? If this progresses, I am afraid I will become increasingly physically violent. I have already done some things that have caused a lot of guilt and shame.

[ILADVOCATE]

You should see a neurologist for a consultation about the long term effects of a traumatic brain injury. They would use the same medications but in different dosages. Even if you weren't diagnosed then you could be now. This agency could help:
http://www.braintrauma.org/

[horselover65]

Thank you. We had thought of that at the time, but the neurologist I saw when we first moved here was a weirdo. I saw an (alleged) cranio-facial specialist. Turned out to be a glorified dentist and he wanted to do strange things like botox injections. It didn't feel right to me and I never went back. Maybe I could arrange a visit with my old neurologist back in Texas. He was a good guy and a good doctor. Thanks.

[bernie40]

Anger and aggression are part of "mania" in bipolar and mood stabilizers and/or anti-psychotics are meant to help with this.  The fact that you have also had a head injury does mean that it shouldn't just be accepted as being part of your BP.  As ILAdvocate has said a visit to a neurologist to investigate would be a good idea to be absolutely sure.

Therapy is a good idea to work alongside any medication, anger management, cognitive behaviour therapy for instance - your psychiatrist and/or neurologist should be able to advise you on this.

All the best.

[horselover65]

Thank you. We'll get on that. Choices are limited here, but I am going to check if my old neurologist is still in practice. Kill two birds with one stone by doing it when I visit family.

[bernie40]

Let us know how you get on. :-)

[horselover65]

I was looking through some papers a minute ago and was reminded that the psychiatrist I see is also a neurologist. In fact, that is why I was referred to him. It got lost in the fog.

So, I apologize for making this post. I had completely forgotten that he was board certified in both psychiatry and neurology.  

I'm totally embarrassed. He and I have discussed the lingering effects of the head injury, but somehow I had blanked on the fact he is qualified to treat this. I guess I won't be going to Dallas after all. I can't believe I forgot this. When I say my memory is bad, well it just gets worse every day. Obviously. And, a lot of that is from the head injury, which makes this kinda funny in a sick sort of way. Thanks ya'll for being helpful and patient with me. He wants to treat bipolar first, then we'll prioritize whatever is left...

[bernie40]

Hey, no need for apologies!!!  

:-) xxx

Just glad that you have someone who can deal with both things and saves a lot of travelling!