I'm having some anger issues I want to change. Things that make me entirely too easy to be upset about. For example, if something doesn't go my way in a video game, I get upset about it, and stay that way for like, 20 minutes. Just a lot of cursing and wanting to scream in a pillow over something that shouldn't even matter to me. Part of the reason is because the medicine I take for my epilepsy makes me more emotional and easily angered. Another part of it is because I guess I've always acted this way: quick tempered. Anyway, I just want to know some good ideas to calm down when in this kind of situation so I don't upset others around me and make my company very unpleasant to be around.

A very simple thing that can calm anxiety and anger is deep diaphragmatic breathing. The reason it works is because by engaging your diaphragm with your breathing, you are telling the vagus nerve to send acetylcholine to the brain which in turn causes it to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system which is what helps us relax and calm down, among other things. This is a good site that explains diaphragmatic breathing and its benefits.

Another more abstract concept is teaching yourself to accept the fact that you will have bad feelings at some point in your life, they are entirely inevitable. Just force yourself to sit and accept it for a minute or two without doing anything beyond thinking and your diaphragmatic breathing. Once you prove to yourself that you can last a minute with these unpleasant feelings, you can keep extending it, and eventually it stops feeling so intolerable.

If neither of these things seem to improve anything, I would say your next step is to talk to the doctor who is treating your epilepsy and seeing what they say. If it's not your primary, you should talk to them about getting a referral to a therapist/psychologist/psychiatrist.

If I'm angry or upset I try to distract myself by focusing on something else (it can be very difficult), like a TV show or a book, to remove myself from the situation. If I've had a rough day a bath with a bath bomb or some epsom salts can help my mood. I'm also an emotional eater, food sometimes makes me feel better (I really like nice food haha...). This sounds like terrible advice, but that's how I manage.

Thanks. I'll try that... after I'm done being sick and can breathe. ^^

Distracting myself doesn't really work for me. Haha. It's not terrible advice. What might work for someone, might not work for someone else, and I can understand that. You calm down your way and that's good. :) I should really read again though. Thanks for reminding me.

Something I also do that I forgot to mention is I try really hard to focus on something like counting things (like it could be how many trees are in a picture, or trying to count the grains in the carpet or something), and it sometimes helps me get over that initial rage/upset feeling, while doing breathing, without doing anything irrational. It kind of distracts me and helps me calm down.

seems to have some very good ideas. When I get so upset that I can't focus on anything anymore I like to do something physical. I like to go for a jog, or do some Yoga (you can find some basic poses and stuff on YouTube). I sometimes go to my parents house and use their punching bag, too, though that generally takes too much planning to do, lol. Physical labor will release endorphins, and calm you with a natural high.

And if it is partially do to your medicine, you should look into alternatives by just talking to your doctor, and if you live in a place where it is legal then medical marijuana could be a very feasible option. I know they are talking about legalizing in some places just for epilepsy, because it is so helpful.

Also, I love both of your avatars Futurama and Vanilla. (:

Thanks! I like your ideas and avatar too ❤

Well the thing about my medicine is it's my last option, the kind I'm taking. I've gone through everything else because all the other pills that I've taken had horrible side effects that had things like me constantly gaining weight and having blurry eyesight to the point where I couldn't see my own hand in front of me. This one I'm on now is pretty much the only one I can take. I don't think marijuana is bad, but I don't see myself doing it unless it really is a last resort kind of thing. I believe it does help though considering I know how people act when they use it.

Also, thanks. Like your HA's hair. ^^