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Anger
What
is Anger?
There are five interrelated dimensions
all operating simultaneously in any angry situation. These
dimensions include:
- Cognition-
our present thoughts
- Emotion-
the physiological arousal that anger produces
- Communication-
the way we display our anger to others
- Affect-the
way that we experience life when we are angry
- Behavior-
the way we behave when we are angry
Body
responses to anger
If we
are aware, our body can inform us of when we are angry. There
are stages of physiological signs of anger.
- A stimulus
triggers emotion
- Tension
or Stress begins to build
- Adrenaline
is released contributing to growing tension.
- Breathing
rate increases
- Heartbeat
accelerates
- Blood
pressure rises
- There
is now a body and mind "Fight or Flight" response
Effect
on our health
If managed
inappropriately anger is likely to negatively affect our physical
and mental health. Listed below are examples of disorders
that may develop if anger is suppressed.
- Headaches
- Gastrointestinal
disorders
- Respiratory
disorders
- Skin
disorders
- Urinary
disorders
- Arthritis
- Disabilities
of the nervous system
- Circulatory
disorders
- Aggravation
of existing physical symptoms
- Emotional
disturbances
- Suicide
What we know from research about anger:
- Difficulty dealing with anger is at least a contributing, if not primary, factor in cardiovascular disease, obesity, low self-esteem, migraine headache, poor interpersonal relationships, and spouse and child abuse.
- Hostility unresolved in both men and women predict more severe coronary arteriosclerosis and higher death rates. Hostility can magnify the impact of blood cholesterol, thereby making a high cholesterol level even worse for a hostile person.
- For people who exhibit type A behavior-those who are tense, driven, competitive, and hostile – only hostility is the key predictor of coronary disease.
Is all anger bad?
Definitely not. Feeling angry can serve a number of useful purposes, depending on how we deal with it.
- Anger is an energizer or motivator. It gives us vigor, mobilizes the body’s resources for self-defense and provides us with stamina to overcome obstacles and achieve goals.
- Anger gives us information about people and situations; it serves as a cue to tell us that something unjust, frustrating, threatening, or annoying is going on. It can be a signal that tells us it is time to do something about our discomfort.
Anger becomes negative when it overrides our good judgment and causes us to say or do things without regard for consequences to ourselves or others. In general, it is a problem when it:
- is too frequent
- is too intense
- lasts too long
- lends to aggression
- disrupts work or relationships
- contributes to health problems
The effect of chronic anger is the same as flooring the accelerator of your car at the same time you are slamming on the brakes.
Do’s and don’ts to keep in mind when you are feeling angry
- Do speak up when an issue is important to you.
- Don’t strike while the iron is hot.
- Do take time out to think about the issue and to clarify your position.
- Don’t use “below the belt” tactics – blaming, interpreting, analyzing, preaching, or ridiculing.
- Don’t make vague statements or requests, people can’t read your mind.
- Do try to avoid speaking through a third party, at least initially.
- Do take responsibility for your own part in creating or maintaining the situation that evokes your anger.
- Do listen – if someone is angry with you, listen to what they are saying.
- Do apologize – say you’re sorry, at least for your part in the conflict.
- Do choose to forgive yourself when you slip into old patterns; learn from your experience and get back on track.
Specific strategies that are proven to work
- Study yourself. Become an expert on your own anger: determine what triggers your anger; are you angry a lot of the time?; how does it affect you – emotionally, physically, socially – and the quality of your life?; is it time for a change?
- Experiment with alternative ways of reacting. One source of possible ideas is to find a role model – a person who handles disappointment or frustration more constructively – and practice doing the same.
- Cool down. Taking a few deep breaths, going for a walk, closing your eyes briefly – giving yourself the opportunity to relax in the face of anger can free you up to better determine what else, if necessary, might help to cope better.
- Change how you think. Look at your thoughts, attitudes, and expectations that contribute to your anger. Is your boss deliberately and unfairly targeting you with a lot of extra work or might it be a “crunch period” and he/she knows you can be counted on to do a good job? Viewing people or situations more realistically and less personally can prevent you from being angry in the first place.
- Address the situation directly. Identify what is really distressing to you and express your reactions in a non-defensive straightforward way to the person involved.
- Learn from your experience. As you test out new ways of preventing or dealing with your anger, determine what works by asking yourself ,“Am I reacting differently now? Am I less angry than I used to be? Do I feel better about myself? Are people noticing and commenting on how much more enjoyable it is to be around me?” If the answers are “yes”, then keep it up. If the answers are “no”, then keep experimenting. What have you got to lose?
If, in spite of your best efforts, you find yourself unable to improve your mastery over anger, you may wish to consider counseling. In some cases, anger is a sign of an underlying condition that may need to be resolved. If you would like more assistance or counseling, please contact Counseling Services at
425-3884.
The following Link is helpfu as well:
American
Psychological Association: information on anger
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