Anger Management
What is anger?
Anger is an emotion characterized by feelings of negativity, frustration or rage towards something or someone. People often feel anger when provoked by a situation that has caused deliberate harm. Anger is an intense emotion and is often accompanied by other feelings such as hurt or frustration. The expression of anger can be a positive, helping people to create solutions to problems and releasing feelings of negativity. On the hand, anger can become an emotion that is destructive, thus causing both mental and physical harm to the person afflicted and those around him or her.
What are the symptoms of anger?
Anger can cause numerous symptoms, including:
- Increased heart rate
- Tension in shoulders or back
- Difficulty concentrating
- Increased breathing rate
- Headache
- Feeling clammy or flushed
- Clenched hands or jaw
- Pacing or inability to sit still
What is anger management?
Anger management is a form of therapy used to reduce both the physical symptoms and emotional feelings that accompany extreme feelings of rage and anger. Although the situations or people that may provoke such feelings cannot be eliminated, anger management teaches a person to control his or her reactions. Anger management creates useful strategies that can help to defuse anger before it becomes destructive. Anger management can be practiced in an individual setting with a therapist or in a group setting with other individuals who suffer with the same struggles.
What are some useful strategies associated with anger management?
The following strategies are found to be useful in controlling intense feelings of anger before it becomes destructive:
- Understanding the cause of the anger
- Becoming aware of the triggers and warning signs of anger
- Establishing methods, such as exercise or meditation, to cool down and relax before the anger spins out of control
- Finding healthier ways to express anger
- Identifying possible solutions
- Avoiding criticism and placing blame on others
- Learning the virtue of forgiveness to help release grudges
- Leaving the situation or taking a “timeout”
- Using humor to help defuse feelings of anger
- Improving methods of communication with others, such as thinking before making a statement
Why is anger management so important?
Anger can become an unhealthy emotion that can affect a person’s physical health. Anger can cause high levels of stress, high blood pressure, increased cholesterol levels, a weakened immune system and insomnia. In addition, anger can affect a person’s mental health, increasing the susceptibility to depression, stress and other mental health conditions. It can damage interpersonal relationships with others and interfere with career ambitions.
Anger management can be effective in preventing the deterioration of a person’s physical or mental health by teaching one to control his or her reactions before they become destructive. It can provide strategies to help a person retain healthy relationships with others both personally and professionally. The strategies used can be effective in maintaining a safe and healthy environment that may otherwise be jeopardized by intense feelings of anger or rage.
The goal of anger management is to help learn constructive ways to express anger, rather than suppress it. The execution of control in anger expression can help those around you to respect your feelings and be more willing to accommodate your needs.