Constantly Stressed/Irritated/High Strung.. help

Ok so just to clear things up there are times in my life that I don't seem on the surface stressed out or irritated. But just underneath the surface I'm constantly feeling this ball of frustration/stress/irritation/anger ready to explode for little to no reason with little or no notice.

I'm fully aware of this situation but I seem to have no control over it. It's really starting to effect my life in ways that I fear will be un-fixable. It's affecting my ability to work. It's affecting my relationship. (my ability, or seemingly lack there of, to work is also affecting my relationship..) It's affecting my ability to do normal, every day things like going to the store, or something really basic like that.

I have serious depression, social anxiety, and general anxiety issues. I am currently really incapable of seeking professional help due to financial issues and living in the wonderful nation of America (no it really is a good country but our "healthcare" is horrible) and not having basic medical needs met.

I'm pretty much constantly on defensive mode these days. If I'm not currently being super defensive it doesn't take much to push me there. I know later on that I've just blown stuff out of proportion but in the heat of the moment all I can feel is: I'VE BEEN ACCUSED.. I'M IN TROUBLE.. THIS ISN'T FAIR.. I'VE DONE SOMETHING WRONG AGAIN.. NOTHING WORKS OUT THE WAY I WANT IT TO.. etc etc..

I'm at my wits end here I need some advice from someone if anyone can give me any. I can't let my irrational yet seemingly uncontrolable thoughts and emotions ruin everything in my life.

Sorry if this is horribly put together or if it's too much/not enough information.

Hi justaron, first of all, welcome to the forums!

Now, you mention that you get stressed/irritated for no reason. This could be a sign that your situation is out of you control, i.e. you cannot talk yourself out of it, it just happens. It's like when you get hungry and your stomach growls, it's out of your control. This could mean your issue is purely biological.

Are you exercising? Eating right? Do you drink a lot? Do you smoke?

Meditation can most likely help you. The main benefit of meditation is enhancing control over your body and brain. It has actually been shown to increase the activity of the frontal lobe, a part of the brain that is responsible for decreasing impulsive behavior.

[quote='justaron' pid='337' dateline='1371335566']
I'm constantly feeling this ball of frustration/stress/irritation/anger ready to explode for little to no reason with little or no notice.
[/quote]

There must be a particular reason for that (you mentioned financial issues, well, that might be the reason behind these outbursts). If not, then you're just creating drama out of nothing.

[quote='justaron' pid='337' dateline='1371335566']
I'm fully aware of this situation but I seem to have no control over it [/quote]

You do. We all have control over our emotions, believe it or not. It simply requires willpower. If you can't control yourself and your emotions, then no one will, not even the best psychiatrist on Earth.

[quote='justaron' pid='337' dateline='1371335566']
I'VE BEEN ACCUSED.. I'M IN TROUBLE.. THIS ISN'T FAIR.. I'VE DONE SOMETHING WRONG AGAIN.. NOTHING WORKS OUT THE WAY I WANT IT TO.. etc etc..[/quote]

No offense, but this is just victimization and self-pity and that will not take you anywhere. Change that mindset and stop seeing yourself as a victim of the circumstances. Life will never be easy and it's a constant struggle. If you have problems today, find a solution and don't let your emotions get involved or you'll be ruined.

Thoughts are not uncontrollable. They're inside your head and you're the only one who can put an end to this situation.
[/quote]

[quote='Crystal' pid='339' dateline='1375464146']
[quote='justaron' pid='337' dateline='1371335566']
I'm fully aware of this situation but I seem to have no control over it [/quote]

You do. We all have control over our emotions, believe it or not. It simply requires willpower. If you can't control yourself and your emotions, then no one will, not even the best psychiatrist on Earth.

[/quote]

Willpower is a limited resource and depending on the type of person, can be easily depleted. The lack of control over emotions stems from exhausting one's willpower. We all have a breaking point, pushed enough and you break. Justaron's problem seems to be that his willpower is more easily drained than that of a normal person's. One small problem and he has lost control over his emotions. I used to be like this, but willpower is not a fixed resource; it can be increased and decreased. Drugs and alcohol temporarily increase willpower, but decrease it in the long-term.

I've found the following to help:

[list]
[]Exercising at least 3 times a week at a high intensity
[]Getting a least 8 hours of quality sleep
[]Not eating fast food every single day
[]Taking a [url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000JNA7BU/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000JNA7BU&linkCode=as2&tag=emotionforums-20]herb called Rhodiola Rosea which acts as an adaptogen[/url]; it helps the mind and body deal with stress
[*]Asking myself if that thing that upset me is really worth getting stressed about
[/list]

A few months back I would get upset over every little thing that would happen, but now I'm much better able to control myself and keep my emotions intact.

I don't know. Perhaps you're right. I sincerely don't understand other individuals and their issues...heh.