Turning into a bad, angry mean person.
 

I know everyone says to just wait and we'll get used to the new person we've become, but this is ridiculous.

It was this way from very early in the injury - I've become angry, mean, nasty, physically agressive,

I've had several meds for my situation - antidepressants, anti seizure meds, and every med makes it worse.

Has anyone else had this issue? Any suggestions?

I've just become bitter. what I would suggest is that you try seeing a psychologist and she will teach you coping skills to deal better with the anger. I know it sounds I
Like the long way to do it but it would help I think

I have had problems with such behaviors. It changed for me when the NeuroPsychologist diagnosed these behaviors as due to my injury. Before, I had an attitude that I was entitle to be mad or angry. With help from my wife, I am doing much better.

I still have struggles from time to time but nothing like the misery I created for those around me in the past.

I agree. Counseling to learn coping strategies and how to recognize triggers will be helpful.

My best to you.

This is indicative of frontal lobe damage. Given that the front of the skull, with the eye brows are all, is very rough and boney, this is VERY common in TBI patients.

My TBI turned me into the "mommy monster." :(

The good news is that you're aware - and that means you can be treated. Thanks to drugs and behaviour therapy, I am less volatile than I was a few years ago, but I still have outbursts.

I think it can be useful to get help identifying your triggers. (I, for example, hate to be rushed.) Then you - and your family - can work together to keep you away from situations you find provocative.

I do my best, but I hate myself for what they have to endure.

Ensure that you have good nutrition (fresh veggies and fruit daily) and vitamins may help with depression. I have tried antidepressants twice and it was only a temporary fix for me. Good nutrition is very important.

Also hate to be rushed, I can go from zero to ten in a second, can't control it.

I can get SO angry over anything, I shout, swear and sometimes throw things, not good, then eventually I calm down.

I know how you feel.

Interesting about the frontal lobes as my MRI shows damage there, at least 7 lesions.

Yes, I can be such a potty mouth. I just lose control. It's like an out of body experience. It makes me want to stay away from people.

Yes. I've been here too. I don't like to be rushed and chaos drives to be very frustrated. I do take meds and that has helped a lot.

Therapy does help a lot!!!!

Oh, boy...I went from shy, bookish science nerd to quick-tempered, aggressive, gun-toting psycho-bastage. Not all the time, mind you. Something would trigger it, and the flare-up was something to see.

Then it escalates to me threatening a former supervisor's family and a nice misdemeanour criminal threat charge. Well, time to do something about this little problem. Initiate 2 years of therapy. Much easier to defuse the anger now. Just give it a timeout until it settles down.

Also I had a nice store of auxiliary self-control capability from years of martial arts training. I really think this training kept me from translating my violent words to violent actions.

Now with my Man Jesus Christ supervising the pullout from Angerstan, I believe I actually have a chance for some semblance of balance.

Glad to see you back on the board.

Hi sciencetoy
 

I could not help but respond. I think this change of personality comes with any real illness,, pain, or DX that we can't cope with. I lost friends, and family over my anger issues. I do go to therapy. Anger because I am not what I was before, and I was very very happy in my career. Never got over loosing it, but I have moved on.
Do seek council, it really helps to get a few more skills in dealing with pain, depression, anger etc. Come right here for support and new friends. ginnie:grouphug:

Oh wow, yes, I am sometimes afraid to be around people, want to literally go off in the store, primarily Walmart for some reason.

I have to say I have to get out of here right now!! or something is going to happen, one woman....in Walmart... was putting her groceries on the belt right behind me and was brushing me with her arm, I was exploding inside, who does that!! crazy and I hate being this way.

I can see myself in jail ranting and raving to everyone.

hi sitke
 

yep I can relate to wal mart rudness. lady behind me thought by bumping me and the cart would make the process go faster. Didn't say anything but muttered all the way to the car. ginnie

I'm just less tolerant of the crap I used to put up with. I have an employee who pulls all different manners of shenanigans at work. Some of them are harmless, some are irritating and some are downright insubordinate. I used to just deal with it, have a chat with her if necessary, but I just let things go. Now I'm not willing to put myself through the stress that causes. Evidently she mentioned to my assistant that I've gone through a personality change post - concussions. Well no kidding! Things are different. And SHE is going to have to learn to deal with it. I hate to say it but I'm the boss and it's my way or the highway.

After my TBI, I was thoroughly tested, (2 days), at the Mayo clinic.....
A team of 5 neurologist saw me during my testing n the one thing they all commented on was my kindness......n positive outlook!

They said that allot of folks with my type of injury develops anger issues.....
I guess I was lucky in that aspect!?

I've read where folk have treated this successfully with medical marijuana.....in the states that offer it.....legally lol

for several months following my last concussion I was horribly short fused and aggressive (years have passed). I felt like I had mellowed significantly. However, with my recent downslide my daughter mentioned to me that my aggression levels seemed high. This really bums me out because I do not even see it. :(

I actually tried M.M. a couple months. No help. Didn't even get high. Gave up after 3 months. I have no doubt that it helps some people, though.

I have what I call "cart rage" now. I can't shop at Walmart or go to any stores on the weekend because I get so angry.

It's bad. I am embarrassed by my actions sometimes. For example...instead of saying excuse me, I just move their cart with my cart and sigh loudly.

My kids were having a tantrum once, and everybody was staring. I yelled, "Have you ever seen a child have a tantrum before? Stop #$%& staring at my kid!" I was not proud of that reaction.

My workaround is to go shopping very early in the morning so the store is quiet and empty. I was never like this until the concussion. I find shopping very stressful and can't handle any additional stress while I'm in the store.

The anger is getting less severe (I'm 7 months into my PCS journey now), so I'm thankful for that. It scared me to go from being a calm, happy person who rarely used profanity to someone who is often crabby and frequently uses the F word.

The ones I read about were juicing the weed....as well as smoking it!

Hey wonderful people - Thank you for the information and support.

My question now - What kind of therapy have you found that helps this problem?

Sadly, therapy is one of my triggers.

Yes, the big question is, what kind of therapy or what can help with all this!?

This is such a severe problem, not kidding, one day.....I'm going to be in the wrong place and someone will set me off and God only knows, it's frightening, I can feel it happening, it's a sudden huge rush of intense rage, I explode at home, try not to in public but has happened.

I explode, rant and rave and scream, throw things then can feel myself calming.

And yes, the F word is rampant, going from someone who was calm in situations to...if someone is glaring at me, going from zero to ten.

Good idea to go shopping on off hours, certainly not Friday nights, weekends...usually do that if possible.

What do we do about this??

Well, that's my suggestion from what I've read

I can be that "Mommy Monster" at times which is SUPER out of character for me- I used to be known as 'the nicest person' and this is a new and strange territory for me.

Therapy helps, but I have suffered with double vision and sadly seeing "2" of my therapist was too hard on me to focus so I have turned to books to learn to cope.

Books:
Open Focus
The Power of Now
Yoga Nidra (as this teaches feeling opposite emotions and learning to control them through awareness)
and
The DBT workbook for Anxiety

Also taking a Time Out when I start noticing a rise in my frustration helps. I go for a long walk and don't come back until my mindset has changed.

Guided Meditation- Mindfulness for 15 minutes even if my mind wanders everywhere, changes my mental state allowing me to react differently to a situation.

Notice the Physical Sensations you feel with anger and changing your posture. Just like how they say putting a pencil in your mouth makes you 'feel' happier. Changing my furrowed brow to a more relaxed facial expression seems to help me.

Just keep at it. It's really difficult at times for sure- especially to become aware that you're doing it. But remember that you are not that behavior and it's just a bad habit you've picked up and know that habits can be changed with effort. Good luck!