anger/rage + anxiety + TMS

I really need some guidance. I have battled anxiety for 8 years and TMS for 2 years. I have read about repressed emotions however I have been feeling full-blown rage (particularly when my anxiety is high). I'm confused & shocked as to the severity of this rage. It's so hard to suppress and I don't know how to release it or deal with it. So I just suppress it and the pain is unbearable. I've thought about the origins of the anger and I'm pretty sure it's my situation (ie. living an unfulfilling life due to anxiety and pain). I'm very angry/furious at my predicament. What do I do with this? Confused.

 

have you been treating it as TMS or have you just now become aware it is TMS?

anxiety is more like a symptom than a cause... you get anxiety and it keeps you distracted from your anger, a lot like pain.

If you have really worked this thing and given it a fair chance and time, then the next step might be to get some professional help. Sarno himself suggested it to people who weren't responding to the normal education program

 

I agree with Baseball65 above. You are not a failure - you simply need some additional support. So many of us have been in this situation and there is absolutely no shame.

I am very sorry you are dealing with such intense rage and pain right now. It took me seeing a wonderful cognitive behavioral therapist who truly believed in healing from emotional issues (as opposed to telling me that my diagnosed anxiety, depression, and OCD were "mental illnesses" that would require medication for the rest of my life like another therapist previously had) for me to start a new chapter in my life. The one-size-fits-all view and treatment of "mental illness" truly upsets me and it was incredible working with someone who recognized that we're all different. I absolutely cannot speak for the entire population, and the cause may be more complex for some, but sometimes anxiety, depression, and OCD are natural responses to life and the right assistance can put us on a new track. My therapist helped me work on managing my emotions, setting healthy boundaries for the future, identifying what's in my control and working with those options, and much more. Some people work better with dialectical behavioral therapy, which is another form of CBT. Others benefit from traditional talk therapy. Plenty of other options exist. Do you have a network that can offer support from credentialed therapists? This can be an effective way to learn how to acknowledge and process your emotions in a balanced manner while establishing new routines. This combined work improved my mental health and is ultimately why I don't experience nightmare situations like I did in the past where I was in so much pain, I feared disability.

It's understandable that your pain is making your life less fulfilling. But it really is the snake eating its own tail - your life wasn't fulfilling before you experienced pain because the symptoms are truly a normal part of life all human beings experience called the mind-body connection. What was going on in your life when the symptoms developed? What makes you happy and feel relaxed? What resources and support are available to you? Do you have trusted friends and/or family you can confide in as well? What patterned behaviors are weighing you down? What small goals can you start setting for yourself over time?

 

You got excellent advice already. Your case is not a simple one. You may have to find a therapist. Meanwhile, have you looked at Tony Robbins? I like how he dissects negative emotions, sorts them out and outlines possible actions about what to do with your emotions.

 

this is quite a revelation to me - when you said that anxiety is a symptom rather than a cause. That it's distracting me from anger. I've never hear of that before, I've just been told by doctors that I have anxiety and to get medicated, which has never helped. Thank you for this insight. I will ask my therapist for some guidance in releasing (safely) this anger.

 

thank you for your advice, I have never been told that anxiety is not a mental illness. I've always assumed I'm stuck with it and that it's just a mental disorder. It's really opened my eyes. Thank you! This is quite a revelation for me. Medication has never worked for me. I initially tried working with a therapist very recently and released a lot of tears about my childhood, but it really set off my anxiety/pain and I'm still trying to get back on my feet. Could you perhaps tell me what sort of things I should work with my therapist on? I assume it's dealing with emotions. I know that I have a lot of anger built up over the years, and as of last night I started journaling about them (and it actually helped a bit). And I also know that I have to correct my negative thought pattern (catastrophising, cycling worry). Thank you again for opening my eyes.

 

Without getting into semantics, I always think of mental illness as stuff that's genetic/chemical like schizophrenia. I lost my best friend to it and it is real and scary... It wasn't something he was 'going through' or like my pain,OCD or anxiety, which is now gone but once seemed insurmountable.

Sarno clarified this... I forget which book but he said about neurosis ".... we are all basically neurotic rendering the term meaningless". My anxiety that no longer bugs me WAS under that umbrella. Sarno putting it like that definitely helped defuse a lot of my anxiety. Hunting down the resentment and anger in my life got rid of the lion share of the rest.

I too got 'diagnoses' about my mental state my whole life. Bi-polar. Manic. Manic-depressive. Trauma survivor....etc. When I was 17 the first shrink who I ever sat with told me "You have the rage capacity to take a human life"... That was scary. I am 55 next week and I still haven't killed anyone. In fact, I haven't even punched anyone in 30 years.... BUT I have hunted down and searched out lots and lots of anger, On paper using the resentment inventory from the 12 steps. I didn't need to find the right answer or medication. I needed to find the right questions!

I think a lot of the psychological world has punted on therapy and gotten into handing out drugs. I found an old school "Let's talk about what your angry about" therapist and I got through tons of stuff. I also can assure you that you can and will get better if you are patient and positive and keep working on the real problems rather than the perceived symptoms . Medication is OK as a bridge as long as it lands somewhere. I have no beef with meds as long as they are being used with a comprehensive program of uncovering anger and fear.

@TG957 pointed out Tony Robbins. That's funny.... listening to that guy's tape set over and over broke me of my negative world view in my thirties, by pointing out the futility and silliness of it. He get's a lot of ribbing for being a little smarmy but the guy has helped thousands of people. He helped me.

Ultimately at the core, we are all essence, spirit...whatever you like to call it. It's there in you right now while you are reading this. If we can scrape away some of the resentment and fear that blocks it from being accessible 24/7, we can live a really fun and beautiful life as participants in this great life rather than something to be endured or 'dealt' with. Rather than be alone, we can join the family of other people who also have found this truth. It's open to everybody. Even people who have been tossed on the scrap heap with a diagnosis... in fact, especially for people tossed on the pile.

“The kingdom of God will not come with observable signs. Nor will people say, ‘Look, here it is, or ‘There it is. For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst. " -the carpenter

If they let me in, they'll let ANYBODY in.

Anxiety is a problem of the mind. Spirit precedes mind and body. Fix the spirit and the others heal themselves. I no longer have anxiety because I am 'out of my mind'... Thank GOD! That place sucked.

peace