What do you do when you're frustrated?

[ZombieSquirrel]

I've been getting frustrated and easily irritated lately. It doesn't take much to set me off. Call it added pressures of growing up or just growing older. Maybe it's just because my brain isn't wired like it used to be. I'm just not letting it all out properly, or at all.

How do you get out your frustrations?

Do you throw yourself into a hobby? Do you punch the walls? Do you scream at the sky? Do you put on a Sex Pistols album and thrash around?

[wooÐs]

I grit my teeth a lot - which isn't beneficial in the least. My jaw will start to ache.

But then I breathe deep and take a xanax. No, it's not wise to depend on pharmaceuticals, but I only take them when I need them. Too much knocks me out.

[evilbeefchan]

Depends, but usually some sort of physical activity helps me relieve tension. If it's at work or home I can find an empty place where I can do pushups or something. In public, I just try to take myself out of the situation and find a way to laugh at it.

What is it that's setting you off? I noticed that once I stopped going to the gym I would get riled up pretty easily. It wasn't just some leftover adrenaline, but the feeling of inadequacy. I wasn't feeling good about myself, so I took it out on everyone else.

[Vigilante]

I get pissed. I snap if I'm poked. I drive worse (than usual houston traffic) and get aggressive with others. If left alone, I'm quiet until I calm down. In my head, I focus on someone I don't like and break their arms off or something. It gets out my aggression (when caused by an individual) without going to prison.

I'm a nice guy in general, but when I get mad, it's a full 180, night and day.

[ZombieSquirrel]

Originally Posted by evilbeefchan

What is it that's setting you off? I noticed that once I stopped going to the gym I would get riled up pretty easily. It wasn't just some leftover adrenaline, but the feeling of inadequacy. I wasn't feeling good about myself, so I took it out on everyone else.

I have a cocktail of medicine that I take for my MS. The interferon can cause irritability and even depression. I have always been a laid back person who rarely got upset over anything. With these new chemically induced emotions, I don't really know how to deal. I get frustrated/annoyed/bothered by things that in past I wouldn't even thought twice about. Then I get frustrated with being frustrated.

I wasn't able to exercise for the longest time, because I couldn't even walk. Now I am back into the swing of things and have been exercising. I'm even back to playing rugby. I thought I was doing fine, but last night at practice I wanted to to punch someone. I don't want to deal with it all THAT way.

So I started a thread about it and hoped it would calm me down.

[vanblah]

I play the piano or any instrument that happens to be near by. The piano is the main recipient of my darker moods.

[LoganSnake]

Depends on the level of the frustration. When it's at its peak, the following is true:

I get pissed and blow up on people who try to find out what's wrong. When I'm frustrated, I lose many of my social skills and it's better not to talk to me when I'm in that state, even if you mean well.

I become a far worse driver. I speed, make sharp turns and accelerate too fast and brake too late.

I can't concentrate on anything because my mind is occupied with just the thing I am frustrated with.

I've punched walls a few times. Brick + Fist = Ow.

For reasons mentioned, I try really hard not to get to that point of frustration and start calming myself down way before the peak hits, but it doesn't work 100% of the time.

Ironically enough, driving to calm music calms me down. Especially at night. I don't speed and just cruise at the speed limit on streets with no cars.

[CinnamonGirl]

When I get really frustrated, I cry. It's not something I do on purpose, but just something that happens when I'm overwhelmed.

Things I do to directly deal with frustration & stress? Batting cages. Working out. Playing volleyball--I take everything out on the court.

So, yeah...I tend to deal with my frustrations physically. If I can't, for some reason, I just close my eyes, take deep breaths, and imagine myself standing on a beach somewhere.

When I worked at LaRosa's, our walk-in freezer was pretty much soundproof. I'd occasionally go in there and scream as loud as I could. It was very cathartic.

Originally Posted by ZombieSquirrel

...but last night at practice I wanted to to punch someone. I don't want to deal with it all THAT way.

You can punch me, if you want. I promise I won't retaliate

[Crack]

I'm not easily frustrated, but when I am I usually just walk away from the situation. Things don't bother me.

[DaniGirl]

Well it depends on how frustrated I am. When it is not too bad I clean. Cleaning somehow helps me calm down and think rationally. When its bad enough I have anxiety attacks. If it gets that bad I usually take a long shower and just cry. I like to cry in the shower so I don't show my kids that something is wrong. Crying really helps me release stress and frustration.

[julie0187]

I never really get frustrated. If it gets to that put I just freak out so bad that everything goes black. I can go from zero to mach 90 with out warning. This only happens once or twice a year. It takes a very special person to push me to that point. I would like to thank my dear friend Bean for putting me through so much shit that now nothin bothers me.

[PonyPotato]

Like Cinn, I cry when I get really frustrated. And then I try to deal with it physically.

Doing physical labor, so I can shut my brain off for a while, really helps. The rowing machine is awesome for frustration.

[Daniel_]

When I get slightly frustrated I try to view things from the other person's perspective, and see if it's my fault.

I have such an over-active guilt gland that I often believe it is, even when it clearly isn't - which means that when it IS, I'm thinking it probably isn't and it's just paranoia.

When I get moderately frustrated I go inward and become quiet and self centred - in essence, I sulk.

When I get very frustrated I burst and shout at people - often people I care about deeply and I regret it immediately.

[Bodyhammer86]

If I'm pissed off, I listen to music, play video games, or talk to people about the issue to help calm myself down. On occasion though, I will beat the shit out of a pillow (I got this from a buddy of mine from school). Seriously, you can punch the thing to your heart's desire without hurting your fists and it's better than killing someone.

[thirdsun]

Originally Posted by evilbeefchan

Depends, but usually some sort of physical activity helps me relieve tension.

I find that masturbating is the perfect physical activity for relieving frustration. Produces just as many endorphins as pushups, and the finish is more fun, too....

Seriously, I take a walk, get outside, or try to do something mentally useful rather than stewing in the negative emotion.

[Daniel_]

Originally Posted by whitesportscar

I find that masturbating is the perfect physical activity for relieving frustration. Produces just as many endorphins as pushups, and the finish is more fun, too....

Seriously, I take a walk, get outside, or try to do something mentally useful rather than stewing in the negative emotion.

Thanks, you bastard.

I took your advice, and now nobody in the office will look me in the eye.

[warrrreagl]

1) I'm redheaded.
2) I'm Southern.
3) I'm a Scorpio.

None of those things add up to rational behavior. I get very sarcastic, mean, and nasty when I get frustrated. It's kind of like a werewolf thing, where afterwards I have to ask the loved ones around me if I killed anybody during my bloodrage.

[ZombieSquirrel]

Originally Posted by CinnamonGirl

You can punch me, if you want. I promise I won't retaliate

But you're pretty. I don't hit pretty things.

[genuinegirly]

I go for a run.

[thirdsun]

Originally Posted by Daniel_

I took your advice, and now nobody in the office will look me in the eye.

It's only because they are too ashamed to admit that they also wank off for stress and frustration relief too. They do it secretly, which only compounds their frustration.

You and I are above that. We freely admit the benefits of masturbation and thus, we have much less frustration and stress in our lives.

Viva Masturabation!!

[thingstodo]

I work out. Also, I try to focus on what I have influence over, not just all the things I'm worried about but cannot influence myself.

[Bill O'Rights]

Originally Posted by warrrreagl

1) I'm redheaded.
2) I'm Southern.
3) I'm a Scorpio.

None of those things add up to rational behavior.

I used to date a redheaded Scorpio. Craziest, most psychotic bitch I've ever met in my life. Absolutely nothing rational about that woman. I cannot imagine adding Southern to that. I now have a new and profound respect for Grancey.

Me? I have a bad habit of keeping everything bottled up until some small and very minor irritant triggers a volcanic eruption. My response is completely and totaly out of proportion to the stimulus. I bellow like a drill sergeant (literally) and have, on occasion, broken things.

[Willravel]

I blow off some steam.

[little_tippler]

If I'm frustrated, I talk to myself. I curse like a pirate. I cry. Or I sulk.

If I am angry at someone, I direct my anger at the person in question. I give them a piece of my mind, at the speed of light with cutting edges. I am not hurtful, but I am incisive about why I am pissed off.

If I am angry and the anger is about a situation, or the person I'm angry is no longer there, I bang doors. I fume. I may shout or scream. Sometimes I punch/throw pillows, but that is when I am angry beyond belief. After all this I will usually end up crying.

Believe it or not, I hate arguments. But I say what I need to say when I need to say it. It doesn't always have a good result.

I have a bit of a temper. It's usually under control. But when I am mad, I don't bottle it up, I let it out.

[Poppinjay]

I used to drown my frustrations in Vodka.

Aside from killing my frustrations, it also kills my liver.

So now I post on my blog, and load up my mp3 player with either an audio book, or some music. I imagine myself forming a band that plays that music, and I pretend we're opening for The Rock Bottom Remainders. I envision us doing so well that Amy Tan cuddles with me.

[monkeysugar]

I don't like to take out my frustrations on other people, so I generally get very quiet and withdrawn, go home, have a good scream or two into the pillow, sometimes take a nice long drive. When I can I go fishing, somewhere remote and alone where I can completely zone out and calm down or think about things without any distractions. If that's not an option I hop on the bowflex and work out until I'm exhausted, or go to a friend's place and flail away at the punching bag for as long as I need to. I've tried the drinking route, that just makes it worse for me.

[Jove]

If I get frustrated while at work, I will take a 5-10 minute break and perform deep breathing techniques and try to find the reason to the issues and how I can find an alternative solution to fix the problem. If that doesn't help, after work I will run several miles and attempt to burn out the frustrations. And if I am still feeling anxious or agitated, I will meditate for 15-20 minutes, which generally places me in a relaxed state.

[jewels]

Originally Posted by thirdsun

Viva Masturabation!!

If I'm in the car, I'll drive to somewhere I can scream.

[World's King]

It's a series of things...


I start by going for a scooter or bicycle ride which always ends at a bar. I drink. I get overly emotional about whatever situation or thing or person is frustrating me. I may cry in public. It's happened. I'm not afraid to admit to it. I go home. Pass out. Do it all again the next day.

[Xerxys]

If its something I cant fix I don't worry about it. If it's someone who's crossed me I plot on how to get them back.

My life is pretty easy.

[Bear Cub]

Drink.

Murder.

Sex.

Usually in that order.