Anger Management

Anger is an emotional response to either a situation, an event or a person, and it may be prompted by feelings of anxiety. If anger becomes a habit and gets out of control, there are going to be times when serious consequences may ensue.

Normally, someone experiencing uncontrolled anger, knows it. Being so angry that you are out of control, can frighten both yourself and those around you, but you can learn to control that anger.

If you can understand why the anger starts and what specifically causes it, you will be better placed to deal with it. You are not alone if you find yourself having to struggle with anger management. 20% of Americans - that's 1 in 5 - have difficulty in managing their anger, or keeping it in control.

Scenes of rage escalating into real physical conflict that damages property, and even other people, can easily be brought about by those unable to control their anger. Uncontrolled anger can hurt everyone involved, even the angry one. It can damage people, property, relationships and families. It can affect your ability to function as a normal human being and hold a job down. It can get you fired, or put you in prison.

The emotion of anger is normal; everyone gets angry occasionally. It helps preserve us in times of danger, and lets us rip sometimes when we are poorly treated. It's a sort of safety valve. But when uncontrolled anger becomes destructive, it also becomes unhealthy, not just to the person experiencing it, but also to those around them. Destructive, unhealthy and frightening. It creates fear in the victim and alienates the aggressor from those self same people who could provide help and support.

The intensity of emotion experienced during anger depends on what stimulated it, and for how long. All the while anger is being demonstrated, the body's physical state alters. Heart rate will increase, as will certain levels of energy hormones, adrenaline and noradrenaline. Blood pressure may rise. Sometimes people are able to achieve a degree of physical strength that is out of the ordinary.

Anger can be stimulated by both internal as well as external sources. Someone you work with, someone in a position of authority, heavy traffic, the air conditioning breaking down in a heat wave, personal thoughts about a traumatic experience, memories, imaginations, even overhearing comments directed at someone else.

It is the expression of anger in situations that do not justify a physical response - like traffic incidents or overhearing remarks meant for others that someone takes exception to - that can cause unnecessary and destructive consequences.

These things may be unpleasant and you have the right to feel anger, but expressing your anger in physical ways that cause damage is not an appropriate reaction to a external, non-confrontational stimulus.

It is simply inappropriate to use violence or to go into a rage anytime something displeases us.

Anger Management Tips