Disease, Illness and Condition Library
Anger Control
the athlete that failed to perform, anger episodes induced by fatigue, relationship challenges, etc.. Psychologists believe anger is a perfectly normal reaction and in some cases perhaps healthy; as implies the term “blowing off steam”. But what if rather than anger being the exception to the rule it became a predictable occurrence? Or what if the outbreaks became violent or dangerous? So what constitutes an anger problem and are there any steps that can be taken to reduce or eliminate frequent anger episodes? These are all questions we will attempt to answer with this article. For those with anger control issues snap judgment actions and acting aggressively when they feel insulted, wronged, or injured is a regular occurrence. If you have this problem, you get furious easily when you think that other people are treating you unfairly. Possibly you’ve noticed that your temper reaches a boiling point quickly, leading to an angry outburst. People with this type of problem are also quick to blame other people for their troubles, without examining the role they may in reality be playing in the situation. It is no secret that all of us get angry from time to time. This is normal, and sometimes it’s even necessary and helpful. If someone is hurting you, it’s beneficial to your health and survival to get angry and tell that person to: “STOP!” But in other less threatening situations, not everyone expresses their anger in the same way. Some people try to communicate with the other person to work out a compromise; some people try to distance themselves from the situation before reacting. However, those people with an anger control problem repeatedly respond in a way that is more intense and aggressive than what the circumstances call for. Some people physically hurt other people, or themselves. Some take their anger out on objects by punching walls, throwing things or kicking animals or garbage containers. Other people argue insistently. They call others obscene names, give dirty looks, make threatening gestures, or even hold all their anger inside and bubble in their own hostility, perhaps while cooking up schemes to get even. If you are one of the millions of people who are struggling with anger control problem, either you or the other people in your life have noticed that you get angry very easily, frequently, and with great intensity. Probably your anger also lasts for a long time, sometimes, perhaps, as long as an entire day. Maybe you frequently get angry with the other drivers on the road and yell at them for driving in ways that you think are stupid or insulting. Perhaps you even follow them down the road and try cutting them off in retaliation for what you perceive as bad driving. You may also get into arguments with store clerks, and scream at them for not treating you the way you think you ought to have to be been treated. Or, maybe you frequently yell at your coworkers or employees for doing things you think are stupid. It’s also possible that your anger leads to physical confrontations with your spouse or partner, your children, your coworkers or maybe even a complete stranger. In these situations, your anger control problems can be exceptionally violent and dangerous to yourself and others. When you find yourself in these situations, you probably notice that your blood pressure spikes, your face gets hot and flushed, your muscles tense up, your breathing become erratic, your palms get sweaty, and you become jumpy and nervous. You might also feel a little ill as if your stomach is bothering you or you’re having heartburn. And when the situation is over, you might also notice that you’ve made other people feel very uncomfortable or upset, and maybe you even feel guilty about your excessive anger. Related Problems An anger control problem is often very damaging for both you and the other people in your life. For the person with the problem, excessive anger has been linked to higher job stress, increased blood pressure, and increased risk for heart disease and increased potential for suffering. In a study of people with long term lower back pain, higher levels of anger were associated with a less frequent tendency to forgive others, greater psychological suffering, and, in some cases, greater physical pain. Other researchers have found that people who report high levels of anger also experience greater sensations of physical pain, even if the anger is covered up or not expressed by the person. Having high levels of anger can also lead to problems sleeping at night, as well as increased day time fatigue as a result of not sleeping. It’s also been widely reported that men who commit domestic violence against their spouses and partners consistently have higher levels of anger and hostility when compared with men who don’t’ commit these acts of violence. Still other studies suggest that excessive anger is often associated with other disorders, such as depression, bipolar disorder, antisocial personality problems, self focused personality problems, and emotion dysregulation problems. Who is Affected and Suspected Causes? Unfortunately, there are not statistics on how many people are affected by anger control problems. However, one large study of 1,300 people who were seeking treatment at a mental health clinic found that anger control problems were just as prevalent as depression and anxiety for that group of people. If this same comparison holds true for the general population, it would mean that millions of people around the world are affected by anger control problems. As to the cause, researchers have not been able to pin down an exact cause at this time. However, what is known is that it has both biological and social contributing factors. The emotion of anger activates the behavioral activation system within the larger human nervous system. When a person is confronted with and anger inducing situation, the behavioral activation system causes that person either to confront the situation and express the anger, or to escape the situation and suppress the anger. The choice someone makes in that situation is influenced by a combination of inheritable genetic tendencies to either express or suppress anger, and other social factors. Anger in itself is a necessary fundamental emotion that is expressed and recognized in every culture around the world. However, it is the way in which a person expresses anger that determines what is considered socially acceptable in each particular culture. Some societies stress moderation in anger expression while others are more likely to tolerate expressions of extreme anger. Research has shown that children imitate aggressive behaviors that they observe in other people, especially when that type of behavior is rewarded. So, if a person grows up in family, peer group, or culture where excessive anger is frequently displayed or accepted as normal, that person has a greater chance of developing an danger control problem. Other factors also influence anger. Someone who thinks that other people don’t like him or her will more quickly blame others for their problems and is more likely to get angry with them. Many people get easily angered when they’re already experiencing negative feelings caused by hunger, stress, nervousness, sadness, fatigue, illness, or boredom. A person is also more likely to become angry when the situation is perceived t be unfair, preventable, intentional, and someone else’s fault. Looking for Answers There are some very successful treatments to help people with anger control problems reduce but not eliminate their anger. Remember, anger is a fundamental emotion that is often helpful, so it isn’t realistic to try to completely get rid of your anger. Many of these treatments – often called anger management – assist people in identifying the triggers for their anger and then how to create distance between the trigger and the angered response. Many people feel as though their anger washes over them very quickly and leaves them little choice but to get angry. Anger management treatment focuses on creating space between the moment you feel angry and the moment when you respond, in order to provide you with time to choose an alternative response. One of the most effective treatments for anger management is cognitive behavioral therapy. This treatment often uses relaxation skills to help manage angry feelings, thought processing to help reevaluate triggering situations, and skills training to learn new types of responses to angry situations. Other forms of successful treatment include anger management group therapy, forgiveness therapy, and mindfulness therapy. Certain antidepressant prescription medication such as fluoxetine (Prozac) and nefazodone (Serzone) have also shown some effectiveness at treating the anger attacks that accompany depression. Learn Anger Management Techniques Some anger management techniques include the following: * Identifying the cause of your anger * Speaking to a close family member or friend about how angry you feel Practicing relaxation techniques such as deep breathing exercises, meditation or yoga * Engaging in physical activities such as aerobics, brisk walking, running or dancing * Reducing your stress levels by having a massage, listening to music or reading a book * Doing something creative such as painting , sketching, writing poetry or scrap booking * Herbal remedies such as Passiflora incarnata, Skullcap or even Flower Essences can all help to calm and soothe angry feelings when they are hard to handle – allowing you to approach the situation and express your concerns in a rational manner * These anger management techniques can be very helpful however, if you feel angry all the time and have trouble controlling all your negative emotions, seek professional help from a psychologist or psychiatrist. 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