Anger, aggression and temper are not symptoms of BiPolar Disorder. They may be problems associated with a different psychological issue you had in conjunction with the "BiPolar" as a child. It's almost impossible to DX BiPolar Disorder in a child with a brain that's not yet even developed the parts needed for a true BiPolar Disorder diagnosis.

Working out in a gym is a good way to burn energy and adrenaline, doing it on your own at your own pace does not put you in any type of "competitive situation" where an aggressive attitude might be pressured to show. As for losing control, just exercising on your own, shouldn't cause any kind of loss of control, it may in fact do the opposite, help you burn chemicals in your body that make it easier for you to relax afterwards and be calmer.

Many nationwide gyms like Planet Fitness have very reasonable plans that start at $10 per month, and are open 24/7 at most sites.

I fully encourage any female (or young person) to choose a discipline and learn a martial art. The world is full of pieces of youknowwhat, so the more defense, the better. My folks put me into Judo classes when I was very young.

But if you have temper and control issues...I don't know. Maybe look into Judo.

I'd seriously consider getting a new assessment of your conditions. I remember you had some diagnoses very early (maybe too early) in life and you are diagnosed with both bipolar and ADD. I don't know when you were diagnosed with bipolar but in most countries they don't accept bipolar before someone is 16 or so (the US is the big exception to that).

It's probably time to get this sorted out with a proper adult diagnosis

Agree with OP and Fish....very young dx would benefit from addressing bp as an adult. When I was depressed I had anger issues, prior to medication I had outbursts.

I think learning a martial art or something similar would be really enjoyable and a great way to exercise

I'm sure that there are firm boundaries in place when participating in these skills so if you want to go for it I would

I don't know your history so I won't comment on that.... I do agree with what others have said about childhood though...… Big hug.....xo

I took a couple of kickboxing classes and really enjoyed them. Great for strength building and endurance

I was diagnosed with bipolar at 14. But the manic depressive episodes came like clockwork throughout the year long before that. Every 3 months for about 1 month I would deal with them. Between family history, my behavioral history for that month, and the schedule, my mother was rather certain of it since I was young. She had been a nurse in a mental hospital so it wasn't a mother's opinion but an experienced nurse's one. But she only took me to a doctor and I was diagnosed after she walked in on me writing a suicide note. She made sure I was in talk therapy and not just taking meds. She once told me that she could go down a list of symptoms and check off almost all the boxes. The only way she was able to get dad not to fall into the classic 'oh she's just fine' mentality is that she said that I was not going to be like his little sister. Much, much later in life dad mentioned that I acted very similar to how she was when she was a child. And I have suffered strong suicidal thoughts through the years, even as an adult. But not in the last 6 years, as I been much more thorough with going to therapy and doctors. ADD is only within the last two years. But I am firm believer in not taking meds if I don't need to so I always talk with my doctors about the medicine I am given. I figure that if I am taking meds for the rest of my life, I should try to stick the minimum I need.

My sudden mood swings were the reason for the lost control when I was young but the temper was from other issues. One of them of Apraxia, that's what I was dx when I was very young. It caused years of communication difficult. The manic episodes were when everything was at its worst.

I just needed to clear up those concerns in case I didn't do so properly before.

I say fighting classes because I don't know what exactly I wanted to go with. And it isn't as much as I want to punch something as I want to physically interact and regain my own self trust that I won't just flying into a mindless fight mode. I want to be able to trust myself that I can maintain control and pull away when I need to. I do not want to just lift weights or run either. So I figure more than just a self defense class since I want to actually spar to understand my control and expand it.

I still think 14 is too early to get such a diagnosis and if you had lived elsewhere in the world you almost certainly would not have got that diagnosis - and in fact the diagnostic manual has replaced the childhood bipolar with something else and don't recommend medication. Your problems now may be a result of being given inappropriate meds too young.

You asked for advice and I've given you the reasons for that advice - take what you think might be useful and ignore the rest.

As for pure self defense, I am confident in my skills. Not that I would ever reject more skills or knowledge but . . . ok, when I'm bored at work I end of thinking of how I would survive if whatever happened. I've got several things hidden around the house and so in every room I have at least 3 ways to defend myself. But its stuff people wouldn't automatically think 'oh, she's going to defend herself with that' and grab before me.

My survival skills (both in home invasion or disaster) aren't from paranoia but more were a way to help deal with my extreme discomfort and fear of closed spaces and crowds. (I was a goalie in soccer and the year I did indoor there was a team whose game plans included crowding the goalie and 'accidentally' cause an injury. I got an elbow to the throat and life long tendency to avoid crowds and enclosed spaces. Dad almost got banned from the building when several other dads held him back off of the field after he saw me go down. But I was forever confident that dad would always protect me after that.) I ended up learning how to survive if my car went into a lake, buried alive, car in ditch during a blizzard, and now I know how to survive if I am ever lost in the woods during winter . . . obviously my way to cope with small spaces and crowds spiraled into an odd assortment of survival knowledge. But it also includes home invasion. Or just being attacked walking home.

Either way, that's why my focus is less on self defense skills with these classes and more being able to engage in a fight and withdrawing without losing control.

Ah, I understand what you mean acuriousfish. Sorry if it came off as ignoring you. And I would also be concerned over the young dx but over the years I have had doctors who had the same concern. Then they finished with their own evaluations and told me that I'm practically textbook. The last time was when I was about . . . 25?

Your advice is well founded and I apologizes for not clearing that up earlier.

Hi,
I am new to the group, but I do know from personal experience that any form of exercise is beneficial and if it can also help re-direct energy and emotions in a more positive direction; that is a bonus. I wish I had learned that earlier in life.

Storyfinder,

I have my views that I do because I'm educated in the field. I'm kind of curious why your looking to interact in a sport or activity that is centered around competition and moving up in ranks when you have a fear of losing self-control, which most martial arts programs are.

Generally people who fear loss of self control in those dynamics stick to a more laid-back self guided exercise program that lets them work at their own pace in a comfortable atmosphere.

Also, since Anger, Aggression and Temper are not symptoms of BiPolar, you might want to see about a class or group that works on those particular behaviors.

When you said you had "Manic Depressive episodes in your youth, which was it, "manic episodes" or "depressive episodes"? Manic Depression is just another name for BiPolar that is rarely used anymore, but that phrase depicts episodes on 2 seperate ends of the Poles, your either Manic or your Depressed, you can't be both at the same time. So which is worse for you, do you tend to be Manic or do you tend to be more Depressed?

Any chance of asking your doctor or therapist or even your mother?

I mean, look at it from this side of the keyboard. No one here knows you, and you're asking for support to go ahead with a sport where you could do real damage if you did lose control. Whatever your diagnosis, no one on here can ever know if you'd be able to handle that.

For what it's worth, that would be my same advice even if you were posting on an "I Love Chess" group.

I disagree and do believe that anger, aggression, and temper can be symptoms of bipolar. I’ve experienced them in both a manic state as well as a depressive episode. And I’m well versed in the symptoms of bipolar having been on meds and in therapy for at least 15 years. And you can have energy while depressed. It’s called a mixed episode. I’ve had those too. As knowledgeable as some of us here are, none of us are doctors and can give you actual medical advice. So please take all you read here with a grain of salt and be sure to consult a psychiatrist. Maybe also talk to a therapist about working through some of it. Take care.

I had already spoken with my mother about it and she thought it would be a good idea. I have an appointment next week with my therapist.

I've tried the more laid back physical activities and I can never stick with them for more than a few classes. My hope is that my competitive nature will help me keep with it.

But I realized that you're correct, patti22. I also made my questions very vague. Allow me to rephrase it now that my thoughts are a little more focused and I now know how it was interpreted.

I am considering several different classes. I hoping for one that is not expensive and does not focus on tournaments. I would not mind spending more of my time on a bag but I certainly wish to engage with others. That way I can have actual experience in maintaining my self discipline that I can always remember if I ever worry about losing my temper.

Which type of class would anyone suggest that has those kind of aspects?