top of page
Search

Expressing Anger Appropriately

“Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.” -Mark Twain


According to the American Psychological Association (APA), anger is defined as an emotion characterized by antagonism toward someone or something you feel has deliberately done you wrong.


Anger, like happiness, sorrow, worry, and contempt, is one of the most fundamental human emotions. These emotions have been perfected throughout human history and are linked to basic survival. Anger is linked to the sympathetic nervous system's "fight, flight, or freeze" reaction.


Stress, frustration, and irritation are common feelings associated with it. Anger is something that everyone experiences from time to time. It's a typical reaction to challenging or stressful conditions.


Anger can also result in biological and physiological changes in our bodies. Some examples of biological/physiological changes can be increased blood pressure, a spike in hormones like adrenaline and noradrenaline, an elevation of body temperature, muscle tension increases, etc.


Causes of Anger

Causes of anger can be either internal or external factors or both. Reasons like:


Physical Pain

Increased muscle tension and pain sensitivity are connected to high levels of rage. If you have chronic pain, this implies that uncontrolled anger can make you feel even worse. Anger can also have a physical impact on your body. Migraines and high blood pressure can be brought on by angry outbursts.


Getting Emotionally Hurt

Anger triggers occur when someone touches a vulnerable spot in your life. Someone says something that emotionally hurts you, and you feel sad or hurt. When your body and mind are in agony, they try to find a way to feel better, thus anger takes control.


Fear Leading to Anger

For example, during the covid pandemic. people got angrier because of the fear of the coronavirus.


Loneliness

Loneliness can be manifested as rage or hatred, which causes others to withdraw. People who are lonely may struggle because they believe they are insufficient or unfit.


Loss

The loss of a loved one or something that a person holds dearly can also contribute to anger.


Expressing Anger

It is very important to express your emotions in the right way, especially anger as an emotion. Anger if not expressed and managed properly can destroy families and friendships. According to a 2010 study, being able to vent your anger healthily can even lower your risk of heart disease.


These are some ways in which a person can express anger appropriately:


Taking Deep Breaths

This is a very effective technique for anger management. It helps in calming a person and reducing physiological symptoms like regulating heartbeat and blood pressure. Instead of inhaling from the chest, try taking calm, controlled breaths from your stomach.


Keeping a Diary/Journal

Writing your feelings down help people deal with them. This can be done by maintaining a diary or a journal.


Meditating and Yoga

These exercises can also help in calming the biological symptoms of anger. They help in releasing the tension in the muscles. This is moving your body mindfully.


Recreational Activities

By indulging your mind in creative activities and other recreational activities that a person like, can help in distracting the mind from anger. Drawing, painting, and coloring can help to relax the mind.


Leaving the Situation

If your blood starts to boil, get out of the situation. Take a stroll. It will help you relax if you don't have the stimulation in front of you, the object or person you're upset about.


Seek Help

Therapy is a fantastic opportunity to learn new skills to deal with and positively express anger. Your therapist will most likely employ relaxation techniques to assist you in calming down during an angry outburst. Therapists can also assist you with emotional coping skills and communication assertiveness training. Anger management classes can also help.


Conclusion

It could be concluded that there could be many techniques, as stated above to manage and express anger appropriately. A very important step is to understand what exactly you are feeling, and why you feel angry. One should understand the reason for their emotions and should try to calmly talk to another person.


References

17 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments

bottom of page