Dealing with irritiability

Post Reply New Topic

Hi, I'm Ohgodspiders and I have Asperger's Syndrome. I've dealt with most of the issues that many people with A.S go through, but I have one that still follows me today: irritability.

Until recently I had been numbing my emotions and escaping through excessive video game playing. A recent event has limited my ability to "escape" and I'm noticing that I'm much, much more irritable and annoyed with everything.

I also have Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and moderate depression.

What I'm asking for is, how would you recommend I attempt to handle my anger? Sometimes it's frighteningly powerful and consuming, and it bothers me intensely. When I'm in the middle of something and someone talks to me or interrupts it it brings out an extremely annoyed and bothered state in me. I don't want it to be this powerful, but I'm not sure what to do.

Thank you

exercising
antidepressants
anti-anxiety medicine
trying to figure out what's really bothering you (usu. not minor provocations) and try to focus on fixing that larger concern

I deal with irritablility all the time and yes it can be very consuming, and like you I get out of that funk by excessive video gaming, which has lead to soooooo many absences on my senior year that I am in danger of not graduating, I am unable to game for the most part because I have so much work to do, and I seem to get more irritable too, my advise is to try to make a schedule to work on times when you can game so that way you don't feel withdrawled, as far as the general irritability that you feel try deep breathing excercises, they work for me, however I cannot garentee that they will work for you.

To change your immediate response of irritability and anger, you need to change your broader outlook on people. It's not easily done, and I struggle with anger and irritability myself. Try to remember that other people have their flaws, fears, and whatever other issues and work on being kind and forgiving towards them. Only once you change your mindset can you allow insults and other annoyances not to flare up your anger.

What makes me irritable is, ironically, usually aspie things, such as being interrupted while concentrating on special interests, and changes in my daily routine. For this reason, most people think I'm just naturally an unhappy and mean person, however this is far from true. The only other thing that makes me irritable is stress, but that's a whole different story. As far as I know, the best way to eliminate irritability is to eliminate what causes it. In my situation, that's hard to do because the things that make me irritable are the very things that are out of my control.

I used to be a very irritable person, but then my psychiatrist recommended that I start a regimen of Vitamin B-12. I was skeptical at first, but within 3 days I started noticing an improvement in my mood. Now I'm mostly cheerful and I'm slower to anger. And when I have my period, I don't have mood swings anymore. All in all, I highly recommend that you try Vitamin B-12. You have nothing to lose.

Definitely exercise. The kind that gets your heart rate way up. Something that requires you to focus on the exercise, not just moving your body while letting your mind drift. Running works if you focus intensely on your breathing and stride but it's easy to let your mind wander. Marshal arts training is good because you have to focus so much on correct technique. I suspect that any intense cardio class would work. It has to be intense enough that you think you can't make it through without dying.

Just my take on it ...

I agree that exercise is helpful, but it doesn't have to be formal and regimented exercise. Cleaning up your room, reorganizing your closet or cutting the grass count as exercise, and when you're done, you not only feel calmer, but you've made your little corner of the world more attractive and efficient.