Been there, done that. I get ornery as hell at times, not often but it does happen, and just want to be left totally alone. Also have SAD myself and this time of year is the worst. Winter is getting way to long come February every year, get cabin fever.
If you do pick a fight with a stranger let us know how that works out for you. Just make sure they are smaller than you so you go into it with an advantage lol. Hope today is better for you. Charlie

I am in a small flare as well. Live in cold midwest, Have sad as well. Live alone with sweet dog, Feeling isolated and cranky. Scared too go back for a second mammogram to check a spot out. I am scared. Sometimes a cry helps. Do much better in warm sunny nonths. Best wishes

Thanks. It helps to know I am not alone. I forced myself out of the house yesterday and went for a long drive. It was a gloriously sunny day and I eventually enjoyed it. I feel better this morning.

Adventure, it's hard for me to find someone smaller than me over 18. I'm 5' 1 1/2 " and 115 lbs. lol Have to be careful when picking a fight!

Even when I'm not in a flare, I sometimes just want to kick anyone's ass for just looking at me wrong. As I've gotten older and am in the whole perimenopausal thing, sheesh, there are some days it takes all my energy not to punch some one squarely in the face

you should see some of the folks I run up against, I'm like
what are you 4 Real are you just talking without thinking.
(CR

I console and justify myself sometimes by remembering what one of my former gastro Dr. told me. She said of course you are irritable. The stomach lining has lots of nerve endings and that affects the entire nervous system. They're all on edge, so to speak. (paraphrased as I remember it!) I take it at face value. I don't want to know the facts in case she was just making me feel better. ;-)

rmb, I remember those days. Be prepared. By the time I was menopausal I had been prescribed Xanax. I took when someone in the family looked at me as said: Why don't you go take one of your pills? Or flat out said: Mom take a pill. What really p.o.ed me was they were just about always right! lol

Ha ha! Yeah, I've been bracing myself. I started perimenopause about 3 years ago, out of what seemed like nowhere. I felt positively crazy, and mentioned it to my OBGYN since it seemed somewhat tied to my cycle. Rage was the predominate emotion. Once she explained what was going on, that helped me immensely, knowing I wasn't losing my marbles. Because I really did think my next stop was a mental health facility.

Sorry for going off on a tangent. I just am very in touch with that wanting to fight thing right now, anyone, anytime.

Stress and tension in the air is so thick you can cut it with a knife. I don't think you are bringing this on yourself. It seems that the whole of society has become embittered.

When I go out for a walk I never Know wether to say hello and wave to people, because sometimes they just seem to scowl. I used to think it's because everyone is so wealthy in my neighborhood that they are just snobs.

Not the case. Some days people actually smile and want to stop and talk, though not often.

Society is stressed to the max because we know we've lost our hard fought for freedom due to tyranical government policies.

This just isn't the United States of America "land of the free and home of the brave" anymore.

I sometimes watch George Carlin on youtube, he explains it pretty accurately.

To your credit you have thought it through and have done the right thing.

I went through a terrible period of very painful gas this past October and it lasted about a month. Yes that exacerbated my stress level which was already in the stratosphere. I have since reconciled that my stressing won't help or change anything. Yet it's still difficult to let go at times.

I'm not sure I'm in the same solar system as you but I do genuinely wish you peace and serenity.

I actually think a lot of that lack of friendliness is more about how we've sort of isolated ourselves with more and more technology and therefore have less and less interaction with people. That, and people work longer days, with a lot of pressure. I think people are just sometimes fried.

With that said, sometimes I do want to smack someone. And I actually am friendly with my neighbors.

And I'll tell ya, spend a long cold winter in the midwest year after year, and you'll totally get how you feel like you could jump out of your skin and throttle someone.


.

Where do you live? Is there anyway you can get somewhere south and soak up some sun? I know tanning beds are horrible for you but sometimes every once in awhile it can help with SAD. Just feeling that warm surround you and leave a little sun-kissed can elevate your mood.

Sometimes when I feel that way a great nasty cry will do the trick. I mean nasty bawling, sobbing cry! Snot cling out of your nose, hitting pillows and being as dramatic as possible is the only way!

Is your cell phone bill or cable bill too high? Call and yell at them! My bank put a hold on my debit card on Christmas Eve because I was doing too much shopping ( um hello it's Christmas) and I went off on them. They kept saying it was for my protection! It's for their protection if it was fraud I would get the $200 back! That felt good hearing "there is no need for that kind of language"

So my advice- call up customer service and ream them out, have a ridiculous dramatic all out cry fest or get into a cancer causing tanning bed.... Not the best advice I have ever given! Hey go off on me!!! Tell at me for my crappy advice!

The first rule of Fight Club is that you o not talk about Fight Club!

(Love that movie)

And yes - I am chock full of snippy and ready to rumble. If only I had the energy. I'm in a mild flare (is there such a thing?) and worn out from just getting through the day.

Ha ha! I love that you mentioned Fight Club. I've said before I'd join one in a second.

If you ever get a chance, there's an episode of 30 Rock where Liz Lemon inadvertently gets involved in one. Hilarity ensues.

I love fight club too. I would like to think I would join also but as soon as the swinging started I think I would be running for the hills lol.

I think the way we approach others has a lot to do with how they react to us. When I am growly and pissed off I can definitely tell the difference in how people react to me. When I am happy I get that in return . I definitely catch more flies with honey.

It's so true. I don't think we are always aware of how we look or what vibe we're putting out there. It's funny. I am a smiler. Always have been. Doesn't take much to make me smile or grin. But if I'm distracted or tired, I've been told I look really pissed off. And I'm thinking, really? But it must be true.

I wave or say hi to my neighbors on my block, to strangers when walking etc. Most people respond in kind. I try not to make too many assumptions about their motives in terms of why some may hey may not return the gesture. I mean, we don't know if they are deep in thought, worried about something going on in their life etc.

On the other hand, I take public transportation to work, and don't make eye contact with anyone on the bus for the most part. Because doing so, my friends, will bite you in the ass. Makes for a long ride when the guy that smells or the guy drinking a 6 pack now wants to be your friend.