Anger Management

Oct 2012
Edition Abstract
Anger management deals with the management of ones anger so that the least possible damage is felt to self, others and the environment. This involves understanding ones anger patterns and dealing with them effectively. One who can manage his own anger effectively can possibly manage the anger of others as well. In this article we cover the following What is Anger? What is Anger Management? Learn why you need to manage your anger Anger can make you ill Coping with anger in an effective manner

Topic Tip to control Anger

Focus on improving and repairing rather than blaming

Strive to understand other people's perspectives Don't justify your anger

Try to see the complexity of the issue

Know your physical and mental resources

When angry, remember your deepest values Slowly count to ten

Don't trust your judgment when angry

What is Anger?
Anger is a natural emotion that every human and many non-human animals experience. Mild forms of human anger may include displeasure, irritation or dislike. When we react to frustration, criticism or a threat, we may become angry - and usually this is a healthy response. Anger may be a secondary response to feeling sad, lonely or frightened. When anger becomes a full-blown rage our judgment and thinking can become impaired and we are more likely to do and say unreasonable and irrational things. Anger is not just a mental state of mind. It triggers an increase in heart rate, blood pressure and levels of adrenaline and nor adrenaline. Anger has survival benefits, and forms part of our fight or flight brain response to a perceived threat or harm. When a human or animal decides to take action to stop or confront a threat, anger usually becomes the predominant feeling and takes over our behaviour, cognition and physiology.

What is Anger Management?

Anger management is a procedure of acquiring the skills to recognize signs that you are becoming angry, and taking action to deal with the situation in a positive way. In no way does anger management mean holding the anger in or trying to keep from feeling anger. Anger is a normal human emotion, a healthy one when it is expressed appropriately. It is possible to learn how to control your frustrations by practicing anger management techniques on your own. However, seeing a mental health counsellor or taking an anger management class is generally more effective. Anger management teaches you to recognize frustrations early on and settle them in a way that allows you to express your needs, while remaining calm and in control. Coping with anger is an acquired skill which involves unlearning some of the bad behaviours that result from frustration. Anger management helps you identify what triggers your emotions, and how to respond so that things work in your favour, instead of against you. We all feel angry sometimes and may say or do things we regret. This is a normal part of life, and may not necessarily mean you need anger management help. If your anger is having a detrimental effect on relationships, is making you unhappy, or is leading to violent or dangerous behaviour, you probably need help.

RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION DESIGN 2011

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Anger Management
October 2012
Learn why you need to manage your anger
Managing anger shouldn't be the ultimate goal, it is only a quick fix, a temporary solution. The long-term solution is to move beyond managing our anger to minimizing it! Sometimes anger is good, it is a catalyst for change. We get angry, we complain, but nothing seems to change so finally we decide that we have to do something about it. Anger becomes a problem when we cant control our outbursts... when it affects our relationships and our careers. You know you need Anger Management when you no longer trust yourself. Most anger is deeply rooted because it has built up over a lifetime. We bring to each new circumstance a lifetime of disappointments, frustrations and perceived wrongs that have been done to us. Our old memories and perceptions distort our view of a new situation and cause us to overreact most of the time. When we have had time to cool down, many times we feel embarrassed or ashamed at our behaviour. But each time it happens we feel unable to control ourselves. Then there are those of us who experience silent anger. Outwardly it seems like everything is fine, we are angry but we are controlling our anger by not showing it. This can be very positive if the anger dissipates quickly. However, many people hold this anger in and it builds into resentment. It fuels our desire for revenge and for the ill will of another. We begin to conspire; it consumes most of our thoughts. This inner fury is possibly more dangerous than letting it out and blowing off steam. Why? When we are angry our heart rhythms become erratic, we use up more of our vital energy and cause wear and tear on our system. In addition, our perception and our higher thinking skills are inhibited, meaning that we cant think as clearly. Hazardous to our health chemicals are produced such as cortisol, epinephrine and nor epinephrine. Long-term exposure to these chemicals weakens the immune system leaving us susceptible to disease. When we bury our anger deeply, below our conscious level of awareness; what we are actually doing at a biochemical level is Blocking our cellular receptors. These stuck emotions are obstructing the all-important flow of molecular information necessary for vital processes of the body/mind. When we feel angry, frustrated, sad etc our body is being created based on these harmful chemicals. It is also widely accepted that psychological stress caused by feelings of anger is a major contributing factor to heart attacks, high blood pressure and ulcers. Anger can be debilitating for many people and rightly so. But there is hope; your past behaviour doesnt have to dictate your present and future behaviour. Anger ranges from anything between a mild irritations to a full blown temper tantrum. When we are angry we experience a rush of adrenaline to our veins. Certain people also experience a tightening of the jaw, gnashing of teeth and clenching of fists. These are some of our physical responses to anger. Anger, like any other emotion is neither good nor bad. Its just there and its something we need to deal with. The problem occurs when we find it difficult or impossible to manage or regulate our anger.

RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION DESIGN 2011

www.PosterPresentations .com

Anger Management
October 2012
Anger can make you ill
When we are angry the body releases stress hormones, such as adrenaline, nor adrenaline and cortisol. The heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature and breathing rate increase. Regular episodes of anger can eventually make people ill. Uncontrolled or unresolved anger can lead to the following health problems: Backache Headaches Hypertension (high blood pressure) Insomnia Irritable bowel syndrome, or other digestive disorders Skin disorders Stroke Heart attack Lower pain threshold Weakened immune system, resulting in more infections, colds, and influenza. Uncontrolled or unresolved anger can lead to emotional and mental problems, including: Depression Eating disorders Alcohol abuse Drug abuse Self injury Low self-esteem Moodiness Don't look back in anger at your life - it could only make you feel ill in the future Dwelling on the past may not only stop you from enjoying each day to the full it could also be bad for your health. In other words, what you think about during the day today shapes up your future tomorrow. Your thoughts are very powerful, and they are constantly affecting the quality of your life and the level of your health. Research suggests that people who look back at their past experiences full of regrets about missed opportunities or with bitterness about how they have been treated are more likely to fall ill and generally have a poorer quality of life. So no one ever should feel embarrassed or uncomfortable looking for help to resolve their old stuck emotions. If you keep thinking of something that happened in the past and you keep feeling sad about it (angry, frustrated, afraid or guilty) you must find a way to resolve it and let it go fully. When people are negative about past events in their life, they also have a pessimist or fatalist attitude towards current events. These generates greater problems in their relationships and these people present worse quality of life indicators.

RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION DESIGN 2011

www.PosterPresentations .com

Anger Management
October 2012
Coping with anger in an effective manner
Anger management does not focus on completely getting rid of the emotion anger. That would be impossible. Instead working on anger management can help you to guide your reactions so that you have more control in the situation. Instead of making a situation work by cursing and yelling or not saying anything for a week, you can control your response to deal with the necessary situation. It is inevitable that something or someone will come along that will trigger anger. The response is up to the individual. So how can one learn to manage and control their anger? There are many techniques that one can use and the success depends on the individual and their ability to stick with a method. Relaxation techniques Breathing, yoga and focused visualisation are three relaxation techniques that can be practiced in non-anger situations. Each skill set will provide the user with a chance to remove him/herself mentally from the angry situation and take a step back. Angry people are often the ones who let the little things bother them. If you learn to calm down you will realize that there is no need to get uptight and you will have fewer angry episodes. Environment If mental removal from the environment proves difficult, physically leaving the environment can be an aid. Go for a walk, go to the next room or take some personal time for yourself each day to focus on you. Hypnosis Another tool in coping with anger, hypnosis, works with focusing on restructuring thoughts on a subconscious level. Through suggestions based on dealing with anger in a healthy and constructive matter one can process new ways of dealing with anger in an efficient manner. After consulting a professional hypnotist, one can incorporate self hypnosis into stressful and aggravating situations. Use Empathy If another person is the source of your anger, try to see the situation from his or her perspective. Remind yourself to be objective and realize that everyone makes mistakes and it is through mistakes that people learn how to improve. Build Trust Angry people can be cynical people. They believe that others are going to do something on purpose to annoy or frustrate them even before it happens. If you can build trust in people you will be less likely to become angry with them when something does go wrong and more likely to attribute the problem to something other than a malicious intent. Be Assertive Remember, the word is assertive NOT aggressive. When you are angry it is often difficult to express yourself properly. You are too caught up in the negative emotion and your physiological symptoms (beating heart, red face) to put together solid arguments or appropriate responses. If you learn to assert yourself and let other people know your expectations, boundaries, issues, and so on, you will have much more Interpersonal success.
RESEARCH POSTER PRESENTATION DESIGN 2011

www.PosterPresentations .com