Strong emotions = hurting self

Post Reply New Topic

(This is re-posted from the Member's only section)
When I feel really frustrated or angry it often leads to me screaming, sometimes hitting head against wall or using my hand to hit head, or causing a meltdown with crying and biting my hand/arm.

I take antidepressants that stable my mood most of the time...and I used the search bar.

Because of my autism I have a difficult time talking or am partially verbal until I have completely calmed down.
Edit: Any suggestions how I can better manage when I get this way?

Last edited by Lumi on 25 Dec 2013, 1:14 am, edited 1 time in total.

I here xanax helps but I have never tired it I have the same issues

I would get stuck like that, but when I was on Strattera I was able to function better and not get blocked like that in times of stress. it is a good pmed, worth a try.

I am having the same issue as you it seems (except I hit my head with my hands/fists)...I keep doing this when I become too upset and am trying to find ways to stop or control it without using medications though (I really don't like chemicals and it goes against my paleo thing I am into at the moment plus I get bad side effects).

My dr said to hit myself elsewhere but its not as though I am in complete control of it. It's not a conscious decision to hit my head. I'd rather not hit my head and I don't know why I do it...

I hope you manage to find a solution.

I thought about buying some head gear and wearing it if I start feeling too upset. Sometimes feeling upset will result in my head hitting session, other times it will not. It seems to depend on how upset I get I guess. Not entirely sure.

I don't hurt myself that much, I just tend to pick on my skin or bite my limbs when I'm really anxious.

Maybe you already do this, but when you feel that way
---don't try to talk, try not to even let yourself think in words
---stay away if possible from people who want you to to talk, or say too much themselves
Also, if you have meltdowns around anyone you trust, ask that when they see you that way they avoid doing much talking, especially anything that would pressure you to have to use words.

Words and the pressure to find them and speak them can get very frustrating. If you haven't tried, I think it may help.

I unfortunately have been doing that since I was 12


I will try this

I hit my head during an angry episode too. I just don't know what else to do. I can't hit other people (thankfully that doesn't even enter my head even when I'm at my angriest), and I have broken objects before which I don't like to do, plus I feel sorry for the objects because it's not the poor object's fault I'm angry. My mum says I should punch my pillow, but I feel sorry for the pillow too. So I whack my head instead, not as a stim, but as a way of punishing myself. I may sound angry at other people because I am yelling at them when having an outburst, but I am more angry at myself, so I whack my head, sometimes repeatedly. I bet if I saw myself on video doing that, I would feel so bloody insane! But my mum says that a lot of people probably do it when on their own, if they are feeling low or angry at themselves. Even she's done it before.

Putting a soft helmet thing on my head will not solve anything. I will just untie the strap and throw it across the room, just so I can hit my head to tell my brain how angry I am with it. I am not, like, severely Autistic, I'm only a mild Aspie, so I kind of hit my head on the spur of the moment when feeling overwhelmed with emotions. There is no exact signal that I'm about to start hitting my head - it just happens. There is no time to say, ''OK, where's the helmet?'' I just whack my head as another way of saying ''God I hate myself I really do!''

I bang my head when I have severe meltdowns. It is strangely soothing to me to do it. I just try to make sure I am alone and never do it in front of anyone else. At some point I just wear myself out from crying and screaming and I have to go to sleep. Sleep helps to reset my brain somewhat. When I wake up, I usually feel better.

When I start to feel overwhelmed with emotion, to the point where I can't verbalize anymore, I know it is time for me be alone. I just have to be alone and handle things my own way and never mind what anyone else thinks about it.

You just described exactly what I used to do when I was very angry or upset with someone else or myself. If I was angry at somebody to the point of wanting to physically harm them, I would instead take it out on myself, and I would often bite/hit/scratch myself in order to punish myself. I believed if I punished myself enough, I would become "normal" and people would like me better. I managed to stop hurting myself in this way after enough people impressed upon me that they did NOT want me to do this, and that they liked me even if I didn't punish myself, but that doesn't mean I don't get overwhelming urges to punish myself quite often even to this day. Mostly I bite my fingernails until they bleed these days.