Anger Management
Anger is a natural response to a situation that isn’t right for us. It is part of our flight and fight or ‘stress response’. Therefore it is both important and useful for us to have anger. However, anger is seen as an unwelcome emotion in our society. Constantly bombarded with images of violence and aggression we don’t manage our own anger appropriately when it spills over and affects others. The other way of not dealing with anger appropriately is when we supress our angry feelings.
When we’re feeling angry the flight and fight responses creates a hormonal reaction in the body which provides extra energy. Excess energy can build up and cause physical and emotional problems.
Physical effects include:
- Headache
- Digestive problems
- Skin problems
- Constant tiredness
- High blood pressure
- Breathlessness
- Sweating
- Muscle tension
Emotional effects include:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Resentfulness
- Low self-worth
It is both important and useful for us to have anger. However, it is equally important to be able to listen to our anger and to understand what’s happening to us. Such insight will help us choose the right cause of action to deal with the situation in which we find ourselves. Often anger can be related to an historical experience, which triggers off this emotional response. Working through previous experiences of anger enables it to be released and avoids a build up of resentment and difficulties.
Step approach to anger management:
- Recognise and accept angry emotions
- Keep an anger diary so you can begin to understand what makes you angry
- Get physical, exercise regulates the bodies hormones and stop them building up.
- Contact a counsellor/psychotherapist who will be able to help you look at the way the past relates to your current feelings.
Working through your anger may enable you to let it go, build up self-esteem and develop better ways of communicating with others.