Anger is an emotional distress. If it goes unchecked it can grow into a mighty rage. Throughout history anger has been one of the motivators behind wars and acts of terrorism. Marital problems, child abuse and fights are also caused by out of control anger. It is therefore critical that anger is addressed before it starts to control us.
To begin addressing anger we first need to identify the triggers that cause it. They include:
FRUSTRATION:- Frustration is usually caused by obstacles that are in the way of what we want or need.
PAIN AND DISCOMFORT:- Pain and discomfort make us angry because they remove us from our comfort zone.
CHILDHOOD ENVIRONMENT:- If we are around anger as a child we begin to accept it as normal behaviour.
PERSONAL INSULT:- Personal insult causes us to become angry towards the person who insulted us.
Now that we understand what is causing the anger we need to try and control it. Now we cannot control when we get angry but we can choose how and when to release the anger. Releasing anger is not necessarily unhealthy because if it is suppressed too long it can be damaging when it is eventually released. We can release anger in two ways:
1) FORGIVING:- Forgiving is one way to place anger behind you. For example, when someone insults you, you can forgive, forget and move on. If you try to look at the situation with a sense of humour it may be easier to forgive.
2) MAKE YOUR FEELINGS KNOWN:- If you cannot forgive then the only other way to release the anger is to make your feelings known. If you do this, try and do it in a calm, controlled way so that your anger does not escalate.
We can also choose to walk away from volatile situations that have the potential to escalate our anger levels. If you ask yourself which situations make you angry, you can then see them arising and walk away before they amplify. If you walk away and cool off you will be able to reduce your overall anger levels. Drinking water, lying down and stopping focussing on the negatives are all effective ways to cool down.
Once you identify what is making you angry you can start to control your anger and avoid potentially volatile situations. By reducing your anger you can really improve your mental fitness and overall health.
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