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Do you overreact often?

epath13

the Fool.The Magician.The...
V.I.P Member
I have this annoying habit ( the funny thing is, my older son has gotten it as well) to complain out loud about things not going according to some rules that I've created for myself. It doesn't really matter if someone's listening or not, I just start complaining. Usually it happens when I'm overwhelmed or tired, otherwise I can intercept the nonsense before it comes out of my mouth :) Like for instance a few days ago I was annoyed by the way products were organized on a shelf so I started complaining, by saying something like what's happened to this store, whoever organized these shelves should be fired etc :) later I do realize that most of what I say is pointless and irrational. If ,let's say , something is organized in a way that it makes to find things it shouldn't really concern me that much because: 1st I don't work in the store, 2nd I can go to another store, 3rd I could send a complaint but that would involve work that I'm not interested in doing. So in the end emotional reaction is pointless, because no one benefit from it.
Does anyone else have a similar issue?
 
Meh, I don't even know if I should call it overreacting.

I can identify with what you said in store organisation, however, I can usually come up with a good reason why this is done like that. For instance I've seen the cookies next to the coffee products here, which actually made sense to me. Yes, it does bother me that they are subliminally telling you "have a cookie with your coffee", but as long as I can resist that urge myself, I don't really care. Now, if it's something I really think, makes no sense, yes, I will ask the manager, I wil write a letter, and probably if it would bother me that much, I would visit the local newspaper and make a thing out of it. But no I don't see it as overreacting. For a stupid example I did send a couple of letters and emails to a chewinggum brand, to ask who came up with their name, because it made no sense. Maybe that's more curiosity than overreacting.

I am bothered by stuff, but I do have a mouth to ask, and that's what I do a lot if I really want to know it (or just google it).

Also, actually, a lot of times where I expressed my complaint; be it at jobs, at stores and wherever I could complain, I've seen a lot of stuff change. At jobs I've been in talks with management to improve the workflow by innovation (because apparently I did care about how I should do my job easier, or increase productivity). I don't actually think I rant and rave a lot about stuff no one could benefit from. And actually if I am ranting at a store, that might even be a good change, who says people wouldn't benefit from an overhaul of the organisation of products on shelves. Thus, yes, I can offer critiques, but I rarely (can't say never) give criticism without being constructive about it.

The only time I do get a bit bothered and am prone to overreact is when my computer crashes, is slow or anything... it's not really helping me to be mad about it and do nothing, but it kinda helps the time go faster in waiting, lol. And also, I do come up with a lot of good ideas/motivations when I'm actually mad about a situation... it's sometimes the motivational boost I need, to actually fix something.
 
I do get bothered by store things, but I never say them outloud. What ends up being overpowering will be other things about the store I'm in- a crowd, the people, someone trying to push something on me- which will more likely prompt an overreaction about something. If I generally feel overstimulated, I'll probably overreact in a moody way at things until it's over.

But when I do tend to actively, physically, overreact about something little is....THIS:

The only time I do get a bit bothered and am prone to overreact is when my computer crashes, is slow or anything... it's not really helping me to be mad about it and do nothing, but it kinda helps the time go faster in waiting, lol.

I don't know what it is, but if my computer screws up in any way, the reaction is ridiculous. It's milder with other electronic items in general. I probably should be grateful in a way for it, since it results in my obsessively trying to figure out why and trying to fix it.
 
I don't over react as much as I under react.
However, I've been described as belligerent and aggressive.

If things get too much to handle, however, I may result to hitting my head.
 
I would probably overreact if it was my computer crashing or something like that as I depend on my computer too much. There have been times when I have sworn at my computer and insulted it as if it were a human. There's probably been a time or two when I have slapped it as well in the heat of the moment. Only in extreme cases though.
 
The only time I do get a bit bothered and am prone to overreact is when my computer crashes, is slow or anything... it's not really helping me to be mad about it and do nothing, but it kinda helps the time go faster in waiting, lol. And also, I do come up with a lot of good ideas/motivations when I'm actually mad about a situation... it's sometimes the motivational boost I need, to actually fix something.

It helps to pass the time? That sounds similar to how when Im walking around a big city or stuck in traffic or waiting in line Ill pick a random person and form random, hateful, non-informed opinions about them. It sounds like a terrible thing to do :lol: but its kind of a boredom/frustration killer. For example, I was waiting for someone in one of my college courses to make a decision about something and it was taking a very long time. So for some reason I decided that he was "lazy, lying, theif that doesn't know how to fist fight". I've never met the guy before in my life. Yes, I know it's mean. But it's almost a reaction to boredom and frustration.

As for the original post, I don't overeact up to a certain threshhold. I can contain my anger very well, but once it passes my ability to contain it I snap. I always punch things to. But I punch THINGS not people. Iv broken my wrist before by punching one of the support-rafters in my garage. I usually just hit trees lately because I dont have to worry about putting holes in my wall then. It sounds kinda messed up but the pain in my hand from punching soothes my anger. Its a little bit weird. The only times I hit another guy is if my anger is directl a result of them (someone hitting on my girlfriend, talking bad about my car) and its not really a big deal then because we just settle it with an old fashioned fight.
 
It helps to pass the time? That sounds similar to how when Im walking around a big city or stuck in traffic or waiting in line Ill pick a random person and form random, hateful, non-informed opinions about them. It sounds like a terrible thing to do :lol: but its kind of a boredom/frustration killer. For example, I was waiting for someone in one of my college courses to make a decision about something and it was taking a very long time. So for some reason I decided that he was "lazy, lying, theif that doesn't know how to fist fight". I've never met the guy before in my life. Yes, I know it's mean. But it's almost a reaction to boredom and frustration.

Like this?



Well.. "pass time" I think it's more of being busy getting pissed instead of watching seconds pass by.
 
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Ah-ha! Perfection!!! :lol: Im a massive Louis CK fan and I got the biggest laugh from this bit of his because I can relate the most to this. Observational humor that struck me right in my personality. This is actually the bit that got me started on him.

Im overjoyed that someone else knows of him!
 
Complaining out loud about things I have no real influence over...This is too funny, as I do this all the time. I actually enjoy it, and know that I'm not changing anything by verbally camplaining to objects. As I often tell people, I have extreme patience with people, but I will yell at and destroy inanimate objects that slight me in any way. I think it is because I know I can't hurt objects (as in their feelings or pain) that I freely express my rage toward them instead of people.
 
Yes, especially when there's a computer-related issue.

And many times my routine must be disrupted by any reason.

Also with loud noise or arguments, I have to grasp my head, shut my eyes, and grind my teeth together and try to calm down, but it doesn't always work... Sometimes I need to just... Breathe... But I can't, most of the time I have to screech. I've gotten physical a small number of times
 
It depends. I see things as black and white. I have feelings and I am passionate about issues.

Truth, I over-react, but at the time I really believe that I am not over-reacting.

Some examples:

I take disc into Walmart to get pictures made of my daughter, I have the paper that says I can make as many prints and I own them. The guy there is black and rips them up in my face and says they are professional and I can't have them. I threaten to call the police. This has happened three times but if I drive to another Walmart no problem. Sometimes I look forward to the fight.

I am very legalistic, if my rights are violated it is a big deal. Problem is I am educated and understand law as it is one part of the CPA exam. But the law often does not favor you as a matter of right. I even filed an EEOC case and it was a slam dunk, but because I am white it is not so simple. The law is not about fair or right. If you think it is you will be disappointed. I have many lawyers friends, and know many who quite practicing law because of all the corruption. But I still fight for my rights.
 
Complaining out loud about things I have no real influence over...This is too funny, as I do this all the time. I actually enjoy it, and know that I'm not changing anything by verbally camplaining to objects.

This is me ALL the time. Today as an example, we were driving into town to take back a PS3 game that wouldn't work, I had it all worked out in my head what I would say if they tried to mess us about so I was kind of agitated and ready for confrontation if that makes sense?. Anyway the traffic was unusually bad for the time of day and we got in a small jam, I was perfectly fine and even said "Oh that's because of the police cars on the motorway, must be an accident so all the traffic is coming through town". We get a little further down the road and the jam is caused by a truck on the side with it's hazzards on so striaght away I shouted "Oh great some idiot has whacked his hazzards on so he can park wherever he likes, lazy B*****d. I was right as well he came out of the building opposite, carrying a box and got in his truck and turned off the hazzards, which really annoyed me. Then the car infront was taking forever to get around him, eveyrone was having to swerve out into the wrong lane to get past so it had to be timed when their was no oncoming traffic. Well the road was totally clear and the car infront pulled out so we did too and then they decide to go ridiculously slow so I shouted "For f**k's sake you cannot go that slow in the wrong lane, you have to get past the blockage as fast as possible not at a snail's pace, idiot!"

Then once we actually parked up and headed towards the shop we went past some signs advertising an indoor market that day but the signs were really poor quality and again I began to rant something along the lines of "Really? do they really think that will entice people in? You have to put some effort into these things, if your advertising is poor quality and like a child has done it, it will not encourage people to go in." Then I ranted on and on about how it was the same as the playgroup I used to be on the committee for and how their posters sucked until I started to make them and since I stopped they are once again a pile of crud. Then we went into the card shop and I ranted out loud to my husband about how the choice of mother's day cards were awful and why did they not have more that were of posting size that not everybody wants a 3ft tall card and some of us have to post cards without it costing a small fortune.

I also voice my good opinions on stuff in public like squealing and say oh wow look at this, that's brilliant etc etc, I'm not constantly complaining :lol:
 
Ummm overreacting...at the time I don't think its overreacting but upon thinking about it. Yah I probably do overreact especially when people don't hold up their end of a bargain or tell me that they couldn't (insert whatever it was) because they decided it wasn't important to them or some other friend came over and they forgot about me waiting for them for like four hours to get online. Yah It usually takes me a couple of days but they figure out pretty quick that I'm upset with them.
 
Talking about expressing opinions out loud :D a few days ago I brought my son to school, when we were getting through the door of his classroom I witnessed, what I thought was, an unpleasant situation. My son's teacher saw a girl who apparently was in her class before (I suspect she had Autism or Asperger's, it's an Autism class) she said "hi" to the girl. The girl seemed very confused and didn't respond, teacher just smiled and continued doing whatever she was doing, but the person who was with the girl (another teacher or maybe a caretaker) exploded, she pulled the girl by her hand, started yelling (or at least speaking loudly) at her for not saying "hi" and rolling her eyes. I said, "what an attitude! give the girl a break" :D I actually didn't mean to say it, I was planning to think it. Well I laughed and walked into the classroom , because the whole situation seemed ridiculous, a little sad but more ridiculous :) yeah... the weird thing that I noticed after I said it, the teacher suddenly became extra nice to my son, which I thought was unnecessary, because she's already pretty well behaved :D
 
Talking about expressing opinions out loud :D a few days ago I brought my son to school, when we were getting through the door of his classroom I witnessed, what I thought was, an unpleasant situation. My son's teacher saw a girl who apparently was in her class before (I suspect she had Autism or Asperger's, it's an Autism class) she said "hi" to the girl. The girl seemed very confused and didn't respond, teacher just smiled and continued doing whatever she was doing, but the person who was with the girl (another teacher or maybe a caretaker) exploded, she pulled the girl by her hand, started yelling (or at least speaking loudly) at her for not saying "hi" and rolling her eyes. I said, "what an attitude! give the girl a break" :D I actually didn't mean to say it, I was planning to think it. Well I laughed and walked into the classroom , because the whole situation seemed ridiculous, a little sad but more ridiculous :) yeah... the weird thing that I noticed after I said it, the teacher suddenly became extra nice to my son, which I thought was unnecessary, because she's already pretty well behaved :D

nice of you to stand up for this girl. i hated being yelled and snapped at as a child for not mingling with the others, not talking, etc.
i was told i over react. i get stressed out over situations that don't seem to bother others, minor things. i get anxious and depressed over slight things.
i dont get angry quickly, at least i dont think i do. but when i do finally become angry i can lose it, i can see a red fog and sometimes not remember what i did afterward. i may only hurt someone if i was provoked by that individual, and never lose it with little kids or animals. it has to be a deliberate provocation and has to be real bad. like when i tried slamming a heavy suitcase into a man's temple because he staggered drunk out of the alley and put his hands on me. he laughed, walked away and i came after him, so it wasnt self defense. i could've killed him, except he went under.
when being provoked at work i have no words, so i just think about it for a long time afterward and sizzle inside. others would've forgotten about it long ago. sometimes i still get angry at things that happened years ago.
i was so derpessed after my cat's death i lost weight, barely ate a thing, hardly slept, walked around like a zombie and stopped in the middle of the street on my way to the grocery store, forgetting where i was going and where i was. i was depressed for half a year and still felt sad for years afterward. for months i'd start crying in the middle of the street and couldnt help it. sometimes i cried so hard i couldnt breath.
i remember as a child throwing temper tanturms over small things. even today everything throws me off balance.
i really think NTs dont get depressed, angry or anxious over things we do and we tend to exaggerate and blow things out of prospective.
 
nice of you to stand up for this girl. i hated being yelled and snapped at as a child for not mingling with the others, not talking, etc.
i was told i over react. i get stressed out over situations that don't seem to bother others, minor things. i get anxious and depressed over slight things.
i dont get angry quickly, at least i dont think i do. but when i do finally become angry i can lose it, i can see a red fog and sometimes not remember what i did afterward. i may only hurt someone if i was provoked by that individual, and never lose it with little kids or animals. it has to be a deliberate provocation and has to be real bad. like when i tried slamming a heavy suitcase into a man's temple because he staggered drunk out of the alley and put his hands on me. he laughed, walked away and i came after him, so it wasnt self defense. i could've killed him, except he went under.
when being provoked at work i have no words, so i just think about it for a long time afterward and sizzle inside. others would've forgotten about it long ago. sometimes i still get angry at things that happened years ago.
i was so derpessed after my cat's death i lost weight, barely ate a thing, hardly slept, walked around like a zombie and stopped in the middle of the street on my way to the grocery store, forgetting where i was going and where i was. i was depressed for half a year and still felt sad for years afterward. for months i'd start crying in the middle of the street and couldnt help it. sometimes i cried so hard i couldnt breath.
i remember as a child throwing temper tanturms over small things. even today everything throws me off balance.
i really think NTs dont get depressed, angry or anxious over things we do and we tend to exaggerate and blow things out of prospective.

I know what you mean, it's taken me years to work on all those issues and it's still work in progress. I think the problem is (at least in my case) that I can't process situations and prepare responses fast enought. So I can end up responding enedequately. That's why when I was younger and especially during childhood I used to run different scenarios through my mind so I could be ready to respond when the time came but I obviously couldn't be prepared to every situation but it helped me to deal with lots of them. Later I was looking at all the negative situations as lessons, so to speak, and tried to figure out what I could learn from them.... Even though sometimes it is still hard not to get angry over something that I should have let go already...
 
I know what you mean, it's taken me years to work on all those issues and it's still work in progress. I think the problem is (at least in my case) that I can't process situations and prepare responses fast enought. So I can end up responding enedequately. That's why when I was younger and especially during childhood I used to run different scenarios through my mind so I could be ready to respond when the time came but I obviously couldn't be prepared to every situation but it helped me to deal with lots of them. Later I was looking at all the negative situations as lessons, so to speak, and tried to figure out what I could learn from them.... Even though sometimes it is still hard not to get angry over something that I should have let go already...

I'm in the same boat. Its still hard to have others suggest that you're overreacting because to us its a really big deal (whatever said thing was). Even if to some people its a minor infraction or not worth being upset about to some people. I am often told that I shouldn't be feeling that way. That its not really that important and I shouldn't be overreacting. I'm being too sensitive. But I agree in that I used to run scenarios and still do. I don't know I feel like I have a temper but its more frustration. I don't think its overreacting I think its frustration. I think it is more frustration over whatever situation.Maybe I should have let things go but I can't and that's part of it. Yah I've been working on that but its hard and its a struggle and I am sure I am not the only one that feels that people get tired of dealing with it.
 
I do the same thing. I complain without even knowing that I'm complaining. I don't even know why I do it. It doesn't solve anything.
 
Yep, I'm a very irrational person. I literally live in the moment and can't control my emotions even tho I'm aware of my 'insanity'.
 

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