Strategies for Diffusing Bipolar Rage

Bipolar disorder, formerly known as manic depression, is a mood disorder that affects how you feel and react to your environment, as well as how you relate to others. It is characterized by dramatic mood swings between manic highs and depressive lows. These mood swings can disrupt your life, the life of your loved ones, and make you feel as though you are living on an emotional rollercoaster over which you have no control.

What are bipolar cycles?

During the manic cycle of bipolar disorder, your confidence tends to soar, and you may have an exaggerated sense of well-being. Your thoughts race, you feel wired, your energy level may be so high you can’t stop moving or doing, and you don’t get much sleep. Lack of sleep can, in turn, impair your judgment and lead you to make unwise decisions such as going on a buying spree or making foolish investments.

At first, you may enjoy the feelings of euphoria and the ability to be more productive this cycle brings, but it will end with an emotional crash when the pendulum swings to the depressive side, and your highs are turned into lows.

During the depressive cycle, you are likely to withdraw and to feel lethargic, hopeless, sad, worthless, apathetic, and disinterested in activities you normally enjoy. You may also feel fatigued, have trouble sleeping or sleep too much, find it difficult to think straight, and even contemplate suicide.

What is bipolar rage?

Although anger isn’t a symptom of bipolar disorder per se, irritability is. People with bipolar disorder seem to be more vulnerable to extreme responses, such as impulsive, irrational outbursts, than are people who don’t have the disorder. Bipolar rage is impetuous, intense, erratic, and volatile. Little things, like being asked a simple question, may make you lash out in a fierce, explosive fashion.

Bipolar rage can manifest in either the manic or the depressive cycle of bipolar disorder, but it will usually exhibit differently. During the manic cycle of bipolar disorder, for example, your racing thoughts and high energy level may cause you to feel irritable, impatient, and easily upset, and lead to aggressive behavior such as verbal attacks, yelling at people, or even starting a physical fight.

By contrast, during the depressive cycle, instead of being directed toward others, your anger is more likely to turn inward and manifest as self-harm.

Uncontrolled bipolar irritability and rage can negatively impact your personal and professional life, damaging relationships and having severe repercussions in the workplace. It can also cause wear and tear on your body and have devastating physiological effects, such as migraines and heart disease.

However, the good news is that treatment is available. There are ways to identify and manage your triggers and reactions, as well as coping mechanisms and anger management techniques you can learn to help control your rage. You can learn to keep your anger at bay even during an acute bipolar episode.

3 Signs Bipolar Rage Is Affecting Your Life

• Friends start to avoid you.
• Loved ones don’t want to engage in deep discussions with you.
• You’re reprimanded about your attitude at work.

Strategies for Diffusing Bipolar Rage

• The first step is to make a list of all the things that trigger your anger and how your body reacts to them. Does your heart start to pound, are you starting to bristle, does your blood pressure feel as though it’s rising? Learning how to pinpoint these signs of an impending outburst will enable you to better manage and control it, as well as take steps to diffuse it before it erupts into rage.
• Avoid triggers and stressful situations as much as possible.
• Shift your focus away from what’s making you angry, and slowly count to ten.
• Take several deep breaths.
• Harness the energy and find a positive outlet to let off steam, like going for a walk, doing some cardio, punching a pillow, or scrubbing the floor.
• Do something that has a calming effect, like listening to music, cuddling a pet, or reading a book.
• Meditate on God’s Word. Focus on God’s love for you and your identity in Christ.

Verses of Comfort to Strengthen Your Heart

Following are some passages of Scripture you can hold on to when you feel stressed. These verses will help you harness courage, peace, and hope to weather the storm.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. – Psalm 34:18, NLT.

No matter what you are going through, God is always there with you, even when you can’t feel his presence. He will rescue you when your spirit feels crushed.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, BSB

God cares deeply about your emotional distress. He wants to comfort you as only he can do.

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. – Isaiah 41:10, NLT

God wants you to trust him. He may not always eliminate your challenges, but he does promise to walk you through them until you reach the other side.

Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. – Matthew 11:28, BSB

Jesus is a personal, relational God. Your bipolar rage does not diminish his love for you. He wants you to run toward him instead of away from him.

For You formed my inmost bring; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…Your eyes saw my unformed body; all my days were written in Your book and ordained for me before one of them came to be. – Psalm 139:13-14,16, BSB

Nothing about you is accidental. You are a divine original, created for a special purpose that only you can fulfill.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope. – Jeremiah 29:11, BSB

Although you may feel confused, helpless, or out of control, God is not. He is in command, and he has a good plan for your life.

Interacting with Someone Experiencing Bipolar Rage

• Bipolar rage can be intense and unexpected. Don’t take it personally. Their outburst is more likely triggered by their disorder than by anything you said or did.
• Stay calm, and talk slowly and clearly.
• Acknowledge their feelings, and ask them to talk to you about what is upsetting them and why.
• Do not argue about irrational ideas.
• Do not approach or touch them when they’re in the middle of an outburst unless they ask you to or permit you to do so.
• Learn what seems to set them off, and what helps calm them down.
• Once they calm down, discuss strategies you can use to help them prevent or manage future outbursts.

Christian Counseling for Bipolar Rage

A trained mental health professional can help you find balance in a life of extremes. Christian counseling combines biblical principles with clinical intervention. If you have questions or would like to set up an appointment, please contact me or one of the other faith-based counselors in our online counselor directory today.

We would be happy to meet with you to discuss practical techniques for dealing with bipolar rage, as well as help you manage the challenges you face, and support and encourage you along the way.