Unjustified anger toward your therapist?

[storyworld]

Hello, all,

I am feeling anger, or frustration, or something toward my therapist--and really, I think everyone. A strong desire to not talk to or connect with anyone and to just retreat by myself in my room. And for no reason. Like, no one has done anything to make me angry or want to withdraw from them. Although I am angered in relation to something my mom has done, and I think when I have frustrations or hurt in one relationship, I maybe tend to withdraw and feel frustrated with them all.

[Armee]

 I often feel emotions acting through my body that I have no connection with and don't know why they are there or what triggered them. There can be a huge disconnect with this cptsd injury thing. It'd probably be pretty helpful to talk it thru with T

[Blueberry]

I am feeling anger, or frustration, or something toward my therapist--and really, I think everyone. A strong desire to not talk to or connect with anyone and to just retreat by myself in my room.

Hi Storyworld,

I'm sorry nobody noticed your post till now. Or nobody noticed who had the wherewithal to answer up till now.

I can resonate really well with what you write. Especially this 'just retreat by myself'. In fact, I think it might be more due to anxiety now in my case than anger, although it can be suppressed anger in my case too I think.

I agree with Armee that it'd be a good idea to talk to your T about it. A good T ought to not take that personally. A good trauma-informed T had really better not! I hope you have a good trauma-informed T!!

I also think it makes a lot of sense to draw back from all relationships when you get hurt again in a relationship with an important person from the past. Parents may not be important now but they certainly were when we were dependent children. 

[Papa Coco]

My therapist actually thanks me whenever I feel safe enough with him to tell him that I don't like what he's saying or how he's making me feel.  He knows that we use anger to keep our problems hidden, and he says he can work with me better if I'll openly admit when I'm angry at him.

[storyworld]

Thank you, everyone. (I just saw everyone's responses this morning when I noticed the bell icon on the top of my screen.) Your responses are helpful. Interestingly, I just posted something along these same lines. I'd forgotten I posted this post. Seems I'm still struggling with what I was back in February of 2024! Aaarrgh.

[wooboyattachmenttrauma]

Thank you for this post! And for the commenters for following up!

I appreciate the Janina Fisher CPTSD flashcard that points out that anger itself can be triggering--feeling it or being around it in others.

I'd also encourage you to never tell your anger that it's unjustified. It's there for a reason. It may be triggering an emotional flashback as well, at the same time, but I'll bet it's coming from something real in the present that deserves your care and attention.

My kids get really angry over seemingly little things, especially when they are hungry or tired or we haven't been able to connect. When I interact with them, I hope I wouldn't tell them their anger was unjustified! I find we are able to soothe together when I actually over-emphasize that their feelings matter. Same goes for little parts in adults.

I went to my survivors support group recently and others were talking about their rage--mostly at other people who deserve it. But I really mostly have it constantly at my therapist. I feel embarrassed about that. But I appreciate your post's title because I feel less alone!