Can depression cause anger?

Question

Couple weeks ago I had been feeling depressed. But about a month ago I noticed that now it's turning into anger. For example the other day, my boyfriend got me so mad that I threw his computer off his desk. I immiadiately regreted what I had just done. I felt guilty and emberassed. But it's like, when I'm mad I trun into someone else. I feel this pressure building inside of me and I just blow. Either throwing things or hitting people. Do you think depression and anger are somehow, sometimes connected? Has anyone taken anger management, did it work?

Answer 1

Yes, depression and anger are often intermixed. Sometimes depression will lead you to a stronger form, like maniacal depression, which causes outbursts and anger.

You need to talk to a psychyatrist about it and figure out what your triggers are and what the problem is.

Sometimes it is bi-polar.

Answer 2

Does Depression Cause Anger

Answer 3

yes it is totally possible.

I have been suffering from depression for some time now. It started off with constant crying which then went on to extreme anger. I was shouting and snapping at everyone for no apparent reason and I too took to throwing things. I actually badly cut my hand because I got so wound up I smashed a glass while still holding it.
Depression IS an illness. It can effect people in different ways and the cause is generally unknown. It can sometimes be due to stress at work or at home, or worry about the bills etc. It may even be due to a traumatic experience earlier in your life. Either way it can cause both upset and anger. Anger mainly due to the fact that you can't cope with everyday life and it gets frustrating. The smallest of things can set you off.
You definately need to go and talk to someone about how you are feeling. They may offer you counselling or medication or both. Never be afraid or ashamed to ask for help. We all need it at some time in our lives, and with a bit of help and support from others you will find yourself much happier with yourself.

Good luck

Answer 4

Yes it can but there's also some other things you might want to check out. I've been a manic/depressant since I was 12 and usually my aggression and anger was kept under check. I went in for a minor surgical operation and told the nurse about an incident that had occurred the previous day; A BIG, SCARY man had cut me off in traffic and I was so angry I followed him and challenged him to a fist fight in the street for something I would normally blow off. The nurse had sent me to the lab and had a blood test run....my thyroid was barely working! They traced back the symptoms and figured that my thyroid had been malfunctioning for the past 7 to 8 yrs! You really should talk to someone about the possibility of your anger being linked to depression by all means but please be aware that anything that will affect your hormones (thyroid levels as well as estrogen/progesterone levels and who knows how many more). The funny part is my doctor never caught on that my anger was not linked to my M/D...it took a nurse and I'm grateful she was on the ball.

Answer 5

I agree with whoever it was that said you might be manic-depressive. Sometimes the mania part of being bipolar can be expressed through anger.

For years I was diagnosed as depressed but about a year ago I was treated by a different Dr who said I was bipolar and explained it to me. Now that I've got a proper diagnosis I've finally been able to find some meds that help with both the depression and the anger issues.

Answer 6

absolutley they are connected...........I too have suffered from depression and have experienced the exact form of "emotional built up pressure" that has turned into anger....I put my fist through a window!!!!!! I went on medication for depression and it helped both the anger and the sadness....You have to give the medication time and make sure you find the kind that is right for you. I started off with one brand and I felt horrible on it and my doctor switched me to another and it worked real well for me. i also went to a counselor to talk about the issues in my life that were affecting my emotional well being. Anger management will not help you until you get the depression under control.

Answer 7

i think the two definitely are linked, but i wouldn't say depression causes anger or vice versa. i've been struggling with severe anger issues the past year or so, and the main reason i've been so angry is because i simply don't know how to process emotion.

when you get angry, stop what you're doing. just stop. and think to yourself - okay what specifically am i so angry about? why does that make me so angry? what can be done to help? i started doing that, and it's really helped me. and if the reason you got so angry is because someone disrespected you(that frequently happens to me - i get infuriated because someone disrespected me in some way), allow yourself to process that to hurt if the case may be. and if that is the case, either talk to that person or ignore it completely. if you choose to ignore it, you absolutely must be completely realistic about the situation and whether or not ignoring it really is the best thing. ignoring things usually is absolutely NOT the best way to go about anything, but occassionally, it's necessary.

talk to the people you trust frequently about your feelings. writing has helped me A LOT in learning to process my emotions. you may want to try that. no one else has to read it. i write down a lot of big events (significant things that happened in that day) and exactly how i feel abotu them. when i don't write enough, i get lost inside my head, and consequently, my actions are distorted.

as for the depression : you really really need to make sure (if possible) you have a few females who are older (at least one) and wiser than you that you can trust to talk to about your feelings, and have them help you sort them out. talking has really really helped me (i went into a deep depression as well, but it came after i'd been struggling with the anger for a while, and now that it's gone, i am struggling with anger still.)

i hope this helps. :)

Answer 8

Angry & depression go together.

Anger is a direct result of your brain suffering an over-load as Stress which you could proberly cope with before the depression started isn't as easy now.
I think anger-managment won't do any harm & can teach you how to cope.

Answer 9

Overcome your Depression Without Medication

Answer 10

Anger Management
A "How-To" Guide

by Robert John McCrary, Ph.D., Psychologist
G. Werber Bryan Psychiatric Hospital, Columbia, South Carolina
Copyright 1998

"The mind is its own place, and in itself can make
a heaven of hell,
a hell of heaven."
--John Milton

What causes anger?

Anger is a natural response that all people have. It is caused by two basic things:

(1) Frustration: Not getting what we want, especially if we were expecting to get it;
(2) Feeling that others do not respect us or care how we feel.

There are many specific things that may cause anger, but they all come down to those two basic principles.



How is anger related to depression?

Often anger becomes depression. When a person gives up fighting a problem and loses the energy of anger, he becomes depressed. Many depressions, therefore, have the same basic causes as anger --frustration and/or a feeling that others do not respect you or care about you.



Our thoughts cause our anger.

If you are mad at someone, it is usually because you think that he meant to be disrespectful or uncaring. Since we can never be sure what another person meant, however, we may be wrong about his motive. Most arguments start from such misunderstandings. Remember: it is we who make ourselves mad!



Expectation determines frustration.

An entertainer may be angry or depressed because he did not win an Oscar, even though he still has wealth and fame. A poor man, however, may be happy because he found a $5 bill when he was broke. Our moods are relative to what we want and expect, not to what we actually get!



Self-concept affects anger and depression.

We all have areas in which we are sensitive, based always on past experiences. These sensitive areas cause us to react more strongly as well as to jump to negative conclusions more readily at times when our "buttons" are pushed. Thus, "know thyself" is a key to managing anger.



Several things affect the threshold of anger.

Physical fatigue
Pain
Alcohol, drugs
Other recent irritations or stresses.
These make us more irritable or susceptible to depression. Be aware of the thresholds of anger of both persons anytime there is a disagreement!



Managing anger is often managing communication.

For two people to communicate clearly, there needs to be a talker and a listener. However, in an argument there are two talkers and no listeners! Thus, to resolve an argument, one must remember several techniques of good communication:



Use active listening: Making eye contact and saying, "I understand what you're saying," or "I understand that you feel such-and-such," helps calm the other person down and helps clarify misunderstanding, often laying the groundwork for him to listen to you after he has calmed down.



Choose non-attacking words and use a polite tone: We can always express our views in a variety of ways, so the choice of words is important. Our tone of voice and our body language convey as much information as our words!



Do not let the argument expand! In many arguments (especially marital ones) one person brings up old issues from previous disputes. That expands the argument and creates too many issues to resolve at one time. If the other person tries to bring up other issues, use the "broken record technique" , repeatedly politely insisting that you will stick to the first issue, and will deal with the others only after the main issue has been resolved. Likewise, if the other person attacks you personally, you must resist the temptation to stop and defend yourself until the main point has been worked out. Once you let yourself get drawn into an enlarged discussion or put on the defensive, you have lost the ability to manage and resolve the argument.



"There is nothing either good or bad
but thinking makes it so."
--William Shakespeare