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Misc Isn't there a drug that can help with anger or irritability?

Bigfanofthemdrugs said:
I find that very odd, dph gives me more psychotic symptoms if i take more than 150mgs (the dose that i need to sleep).
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Hm, I won't say that that's odd, since I haven't really heard of many people using DPH for anger issues. Maybe it's just me... Even in light of this, I still think AE might want to try it at least once, under reasonable conditions, and at a very low dose.

As for cannabis, I agree with what many people have to say about it. It does relieve anger to a degree, and often makes you view any bad behavior on your part with remorse. But for me, it's too unreliable. Back when I was using it simply to stop the raging hell in my mind, it suddenly stopped working in that capacity, yet I was still becoming more psychotic. I just can't trust it in that respect, since it's too powerful a drug, and a mind-manifesting one at that.

and dxm dosent really give me a mood... sort of like... an indifference to emotion, but definitely doesn't reduce anger, in fact i've never got any positive mood from dxm. could just be me though.
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The indifference to emotion is what I meant when I said it flattened my mood. Like you can look coldly on your emotions, as a clinician would look at a patient's chart, or something.

And for everyone recommending Lamictal, it would help if you would also mention a potentially life-threatening rash some individuals may develop when taking it. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000957/ Since the OP has an aversion to seeing doctors, he/she wouldn't know about the incremental dosage regimen designed to rule out/prevent said rash.
 
I realzed that for me smoking weed reduced my anger and pretty much made me chill with everyone I would talk to but when I coudnt get a smoke like 24hours I would get really irritable and start screaming on my mom and brother and friends etc. only solution for me is SMOKING more weed and never running out ;)
 
yeah people do stupid things on benzos, people with rage issues should avoid them unless prescribed under the supervision of their doctor.
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^ this. I have EXTREME anger/rage issues. low doses of benzos dont do shit for me, and when taken in larger doses, i do very very stupid things that i would never do sober first of all, i tend to black out and have been known to become violent to others and myself included. I would NOT recommend benzos for psych purposes really, only as an anticonvulsant perhaps.. too many negative side effects and risks imo.

And for everyone recommending Lamictal, it would help if you would also mention a potentially life-threatening rash some individuals may develop when taking it. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000957/
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^ and this. im glad someone mentioned this because although lamictal can be helpful, this rash can be a very serious side effect that needs to be monitored and addressed very quickly if it appears. I was on lamictal for about a month and developed this rash, no bueno.

I do think we would need a little more history and information from the OP to be able to provide better suggestions and options.
 
I'm not aware of any underlying reason for my anger. I just notice it when I'm stuck behind an old person faffing about or when I stuck on the bus with a child screaming it's head off for no reason or if I'm next to teenagers who so often make so much more noise than is necessary in an enclosed space for example. I know showing anger in these situation is inappropriate so I try and bottle it up as best as I can. I find being in opiate withdrawal magnifies it massively, but even when not in WD I still feel extremely irritable a lot of the time.
 
You don't want to bottle up anger, you want to find a way to actively make those situations not affect you as much.

Opiates are known for causing irritability.
 
tricomb said:
You don't want to bottle up anger
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That's a bit of a cliché though isn't it? I did wonder about that but I'm not so sure after reading articles like this:

Myth: It's Better to Express Anger to Others than to Hold It in

Patrick Henry Sherrill has the dubious distinction of inspiring the term "going postal"—for committing one of the worst mass murders in American history. On August 20, 1986, Sherrill, enraged at the prospect of being fired from his job as a postal worker, fired away with two guns that he had hidden in his mail pouch, killing 14 employees and wounding 6 others before taking his own life at the Edmond, Oklahoma, Post Office.

Many people now use the term "going postal" to describe a person becoming uncontrollably angry and violent. "Road rage," a slang term referring to eruptions of anger on roadways, can likewise be deadly. On April 16, 2007, after flashing his headlights and tailgating Kevin Norman, Jason Reynolds cut in front of Norman and slammed on his brakes. When Norman swerved to avoid a collision, his vehicle rolled across the median, landed atop another vehicle, and killed both Norman and the other driver.

Could Sherrill and Reynolds have averted these lethal outbursts if they had vented their pent-up emotions at home—by, say, punching a pillow or using a plastic bat to swat away their anger? If you're like most people, you believe that releasing anger is healthier than keeping it bottled up. Indeed in one survey, fully 66 percent of undergraduates agreed that expressing pent-up anger is an effective means of reducing one's risk for aggression. This belief dates back more than 2,000 years to the Greek philosopher Aristotle. In his classic Poetics, Aristotle observed that viewing tragic plays provides the opportunity for catharsis (derived from the Greek word katharsis)—a purging of anger and other negative emotions that provides a satisfying psychological cleansing experience.

Sigmund Freud, an influential proponent of catharsis, believed that repressed fury could build up and fester, much like steam in a pressure cooker, to the point that it caused psychological conditions like hysteria or trip-wired aggression. The key to therapy and rosy mental health, said Freud and his followers, is to dampen the pressure of negative feelings by talking about them and releasing them in a controlled manner in and out of treatment. The Marvel comic book and movie character, "The Hulk," is a metaphor for what happens when we fail to control the rage lurking at the fringes of consciousness. When mild-mannered Bruce Banner lets too much anger build up, or when he is provoked, he morphs into his rampaging alter-ego, the Hulk.

Anger, popular psychology teaches us, is a monster we must tame. A host of films stoke the idea that we can do so by "letting off steam," "blowing our top," "getting things off our chest," and "getting it out of our system." In Analyze This, for example, a psychiatrist (played by Billy Crystal) advises a New York Gangster (played by Robert De Niro) to hit a pillow whenever he's angry. In Network (1976), an angry news anchor (played by Peter Finch) implores irate viewers, outraged by the high price of oil, the plummeting economy, and the country being on war footing, to release their frustrations by opening their windows and hollering, "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore." In response to his urgings, millions of Americans do just that.

And it's not just the movies. Many self-help books also counsel venting as a method for anger management. Self-help author John Lee, for instance, suggests that rather than "holding in poisonous anger," it's better to "punch a pillow or a punching bag. And while you do it, yell and curse, and moan and holler. Punch with all the frenzy you can. If you are angry with a particular person, imagine his or her face on the pillow or punching bag, and vent your rage physically and verbally."  Similarly, George Bach and Herb Goldberg have recommended an exercise dubbed "The Vesuvius," named after the Italian volcano that caused the destruction of Pompeii in A.D. 79. With this exercise, "individuals can vent their pent-up frustrations, resentments, hurts, hostilities, and rage in a full-throated, screaming outburst."

Even some brands of psychotherapy incorporate such techniques to deal with anger—encouraging  clients to scream, hit pillows, or throw balls against walls when they become angry. Proponents of "primal therapy," often informally called "primal scream therapy," believe that psychologically troubled adults must release the emotional pain produced by infant and childhood trauma by discharging this pain, often by screaming at the top of their lungs. Some cities, including Atlanta, Georgia, still have primal therapy centers.
Some cathartic therapeutic techniques are arguably even more bizarre. People in the town of Castejon, Spain, now practice "Destructotherapy" to relieve office stress: Men and women destroy junked cars and household items with sledgehammers to the beat of a rock band playing in the background. This "therapy" may have been inspired by the film Office Space, in which angry workers who hate their jobs and their boss take an copying machine to a field and beat it mercilessly with a baseball bat.

These shenanigans aside, research suggests that the catharsis hypothesis is false. For more than 40 years, studies have revealed that encouraging the expression of anger directly toward another person or indirectly (such as toward an object) actually turns up the heat on aggression. In one of the earliest studies, people who pounded nails after someone insulted them were more, rather than less, critical of that person afterward. Moreover, playing aggressive sports like football, which are presumed to promote catharsis, boosts aggression. And playing violent video games like Manhunt, in which bloody assassinations are rated on a 5-point scale, is associated with increased aggression in the laboratory and everyday life.

So getting angry doesn't "let off steam." It merely fans the flames of our anger. Research suggests that expressing anger is helpful only when it's accompanied by constructive problem-solving designed to address the source of the anger. So if we're upset at our partner for repeatedly showing up late for dates, yelling at him or her is unlikely to make us feel better, let alone improve the situation. But calmly and assertively expressing one's resentment ("I realize you probably aren't doing this on purpose, but when you show up late it hurts my feelings") can often go a long way toward resolving conflict.

The media may increase the likelihood that people will express anger: People may engage in aggressive acts because they believe they'll feel better afterward. Brad Bushman and his colleagues provided participants with bogus newspaper stories claiming that acting aggressively is a good way to reduce
anger, and then gave them critical comments on an essay they wrote on abortion ("This is one of the worst essays I have ever read!"). Contrary to the catharsis hypothesis, people who read the pro-catharsis story—which claimed that catharsis is a good way to relax and reduce anger —and then hit a punching bag became more aggressive toward the person who insulted them than did people who read an anti-catharsis newspaper story and hit a punching bag.

Why is the myth of catharsis still popular despite compelling evidence that anger feeds aggression? Because people sometimes feel better for a short time after they blow off steam, it may reinforce the belief that catharsis works. Also, people often mistakenly attribute the fact that they feel better after they express anger to catharsis, rather than to the fact that anger usually subsides on its own after a while. As Jeffrey Lohr and his colleagues observed, this is an example of the post hoc, ergo propter hoc ("after this, therefore because of this") fallacy--the error of assuming that because one thing comes before another, it must cause it. We agree with Carol Tavris that "It is time to put a bullet, once and for all, through the heart of the catharsis hypothesis." But after we pull the trigger, will we feel better—or worse—than before we fired the shot?
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http://www.psychologicalscience.org/media/myths/myth_30.cfm

Btw my irritability definitely pre-dates my methadone use so I don't think it's caused by my methadone use, but yes you're right, it can cause anger issues.
 
Yeah I get you, rage is a hard symptom to treat, as there are usually underlying conditions, some of which you may not even be aware of.

Best work with a trusted psychologist. Psychologists are much better at helping you solve your problems than a psychiatrist IMO, and if medication is necessary, a psychologist will get it for you. They don't write the prescription themselves, but they often choose the medication and dose they would recommend, and then the on-duty psychiatrist or medical doctor just clicks "approve" in the computer.

Psychologists are better at helping you solve problems, AND choosing which medication is right for you, because their job is to listen and help you overcome your problems. A Psychiatrists job is to prescribe. You are supposed to see both, but often people only see a psychiatrist and take pills to "solve" the problem. I'm not trying to say anything negative about psychiatrists, but this has been my experience.
 
mecaib said:
Hm, I won't say that that's odd, since I haven't really heard of many people using DPH for anger issues. Maybe it's just me... Even in light of this, I still think AE might want to try it at least once, under reasonable conditions, and at a very low dose.

As for cannabis, I agree with what many people have to say about it. It does relieve anger to a degree, and often makes you view any bad behavior on your part with remorse. But for me, it's too unreliable. Back when I was using it simply to stop the raging hell in my mind, it suddenly stopped working in that capacity, yet I was still becoming more psychotic. I just can't trust it in that respect, since it's too powerful a drug, and a mind-manifesting one at that.



The indifference to emotion is what I meant when I said it flattened my mood. Like you can look coldly on your emotions, as a clinician would look at a patient's chart, or something.

And for everyone recommending Lamictal, it would help if you would also mention a potentially life-threatening rash some individuals may develop when taking it. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000957/ Since the OP has an aversion to seeing doctors, he/she wouldn't know about the incremental dosage regimen designed to rule out/prevent said rash.
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It's good that you thought to mention it. But I didn't think of it, nor did I take on the responsibility of being the OP's fill in dr since he chooses not to have one. Taking drugs without the supervision of a dr comes with increased risks. This is a great example of a very dangerous one. I'm sure there are lots and lots of others with lots and lots of other drugs but I happen to be a person who mentioned this drug and assume ZERO, I repeat ZERO responsibility for not mentioning this potential consequence. I got my lamictal from a doctor, and when I took it, the dr, as a doctor with dr responsibilities and training, warned me of this. They also explained the imprtance of titrating up and down off and on it and not to miss doeses.

However, as just a member here, I don't hold the responsibilities of a doctor. If I had happened to have remembered this I would have mentioned it.

But I think the point to be learned here is that if one assumes the risk of being their own prescriber, as the OP clearly states they do, they assume ALL the risk that comes with it. And random posters who are not said OP's prescriber assume NONE. Can we agree on this?
 
Titus said:
But I think the point to be learned here is that if one assumes the risk of being their own prescriber, as the OP clearly states they do, they assume ALL the risk that comes with it. And random posters who are not said OP's prescriber assume NONE. Can we agree on this?
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Absolutely in 100% agreement.
 
Titus said:
But I think the point to be learned here is that if one assumes the risk of being their own prescriber, as the OP clearly states they do, they assume ALL the risk that comes with it. And random posters who are not said OP's prescriber assume NONE. Can we agree on this?
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Yes, I agree. We cannot expect to be held accountable for the actions of others. I don't blame anyone for not mentioning the risks of self-prescribing with Lamictal, just as I wouldn't want to be blamed for giving bad advice regarding diphenhydramine. But if we do have any pertinent info, we should try to divulge it, since this is, after all, a harm reduction forum. It is ultimately up the the individual to do their own research, but my feeling is that by including vital info in our posts, we reinforce the spirit of harm reduction.
 
ah yeaaaa a bunch of shit can help u relax, however the use of your own discretion is advised.
heroin
cannabis
pcp
ketamine
benzo

or

self-control
 
I agree with therapy. Anger problems can shorten your life span and cause health problems down the road.

You may see a doctor and see if perhaps a beta-blocker may help ease your body during frustrated moments. A beta-blocker should at least reduce physical strain.
 
I am not certain to what extent this anger and irritability is troubling you. I wonder if any drugs should be indicated for the purpose for controlling your anger, because psych drugs are serious things, especially when taken regularly. I would suggest some psychotherapy, firstly, if you feel all of this is bad enough. I might also suggest you find healthy ways to express your anger, that you can do on your own. Perhaps you could write, or paint, or sing, whatever floats your boat. A lot of seemingly normal day to day activities can be quite calming, and soothing. I would suggest you explore this.

If you feel your situation does warrant drugs, that is, for medical purposes to control this anger, there are many which I can think of, but few which I feel comfortable suggesting as you said you have no psychotic symptoms and do not suffer from any depressive disorder. Cannabis can be helpful, yes. But, perhaps that does not cut the stumps. You said you do use opioids, so you know about their effects. Benzos can be helpful, though one should be careful with benzos for this purpose. Benzos can often cause what some label as a "paradoxical reaction", when really the effects of their disinhibition are really coming out and less than proper judgement is exercised, however this is different from a true paradoxical reaction. If I were to choose a benzo for this purpose, I might suggest a benzo with quick onset, and short-duration like Xanax to use as a PRN. There is also clonidine, which is used as an anti-hypertensive, but now some for hyperactivity in children. It can have a quite sedating effect, and carries much less risk than a neuroleptic (anti-psychotic). The only risks I can see with this are hypotension (low blood pressure), so you would want to start with a low dose. You could use this as a PRN as well. So, you could take a short-acting benzo and a low dose of clonidine together, and likely get fairly quick, and good relief from this combo. Again, I would start with a low dose of clonidine due to possiblity of potentially dangerous hypotension, and I would start with a low dose of a benzo if you have no tolerance. If you have a benzo tolerance, you probably have an idea of what dose would be good. You want a dose of benzo that you can feel, that relaxes you, calms you down, but not one that induces amnesia and black-outs, or seriously impaired judgment. These are just some ideas coming to mind.
 
At first I was thinking opiates or benzos! But those don't bode well for some people's anger outbursts, lol

Weed is a great choice, imo. Who gets aggressive when they're stoned? Beta Blockers are probably the best choice, though, they prevent the fight or flight response from even starting up in the first place due to the blocking of beta-adrenergic NE receptors.
 
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