PCS...Cognitive Therapy Helps Anger
 

I am 10 months into the nightmare of PCS. I have been having real anger issues. My threshold to get upset is extremely low and have been swearing, yelling, and acting irrationally with my wife and kids over the smallest things.

I have been seeing a psychologist over the last 8 months. He focuses on Cognitve Therapy. One of the things he recently taught me was not to tell myself that my anger was 'out of control'. Semantics are important. he told me to start telling myself that I had control of my anger, but that my threshold for getting angry was simply lowered due to my brain injury. he alos suggested I imagine how damaging my anger expressed could be to my kids and wife.

What I have noticed is that while I still feel the rage and frustration on the inside, that with this new perspective that I have greatly reduced the number of inappropriate outbursts. Not sure if I will grow a tumor by suppressing these feelings:) but at least I am not damaging my young family as much.

A big part of his point was that we tell oursleves things which arent always true. Which then gives us excuses to act a certain way. "I have no control over my anger since the accident". By telling ourselves we do have control we can take back ownership of what it is we are doing to our loved ones.

I am a police officer so it is of particular importance that I get a handle on my anger before returning to work!!!

I am still very angry but at least its having less impact on others now.

Just wanted to share this with everyone as it has helped me.

Copper,

I, too, have found cognitive therapy to be of the greatest help with anger/rage/frustration. I wholeheartedly agree that semantics are important.

Yes, even after all these years I have my inner rage moments. I just don't beat myself up over it like I used to. And I do my best to let my wife know when I'm having a "head-banging" moment so she knows it may not be a good time to speak to me. She and I know I'll be back in a while to a better mood. I just have to go to a quieter space and have a little talk with myself. The quality of self-talk is of the utmost importance.

No, it isn't easy. But no tumors yet from holding it in.:D

accepting it
 

thanks for the reply.
I am still beating myself up over my anger. Its hard to accept changes in myself. Something a teacher of mine said has helped also.
He reminded me that I wasnt choosing this anger and that it was merely a symptom of my injury.
Much like having a cough with a cold. I wouldnt beat myself up for coughing when I had a cold....so I shudnt beat myself up for being emotional with a brain injury.