Anger Management

Counseling Center
University of Cincinnati
 I feel…
Furious
Spiteful
Grouchy
Frustrated
Enraged
Annoyed
Irritated
Mad
Irate

ANGRY
 What is Anger?

Anger is "an emotional state that varies in

intensity from mild irritation to intense fury and rage."

- Charles Spielberger, PhD

How do you experience anger?
 How do you feel it physically
and emotionally?
 What changes do you notice in yourself when
you become angry?
__________________
__________________
__________________

 Complete the checklist on the next slide.

 Anger Symptoms Checklist *
Check off those that apply to you
Physical Symptoms Emotional Symptoms
Increased heart rate Feel like crying
Muscle tension Want to yell
Sweating/ feeling hot Short with others
Shallower/ faster Anxious
breathing
Sad
Clenched jaw
Guilty
Grinding of teeth
Resentful
Headache
Lose sense of humor
Stomachache
Withdraw from others
Shaking or trembling or shut down
Dizziness
Want to pace Symptoms adapted from the following website:
http:/ / www.lifewatcheap.com/ poc/ view_doc.php?type=doc
Feel as though you &id=5812&cn=116
need a drink or a cigarette
 Are there other ways you experience
anger internally?
__________________________
__________________________
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 Think about these reactions.

 Are they good for you—your health?

your relationships? Your success at
school and in life?
 Why do we get angry?
 “We are predisposed to become angry
when we appraise an event or a person as
a threat to one of our basic needs such as
food or shelter, or more mature needs
such as identity, recognition, achievement,
and social affiliation.”
– Dr. Weisinger’s Anger Work-out Book, p. 31
 Appraisal
 Part of what makes us angry is how we
appraise or interpret situations.

 Sometimes we misinterpret situations as

threatening when in actuality they are not.
When do you get angry?
  When was the last time
you were angry?

Day/week: _____________________
Time: _________________________
Place: _________________________
 What was happening in the hours
before you became angry?
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
______________________
 Whatwas your mood before you
became angry?
__________________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
What occurred right before you
became angry?
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
 Psychologists often call that “right before”
event a “trigger.”

 The scene has been set by previous

events and your mood, and then
something triggers your response of
anger.
 For example, maybe you have had a bad
morning…got up late and felt groggy,
spilled coffee and had to change your
shirt, tired from the day before, a little
worried about a paper you need to write…
and then, the trigger: someone cuts you
off in traffic.
 Understanding Triggers
 Recognizing there has been a series of
precursors to the anger can reduce the
impact of the trigger.

 And, knowing your specific triggers can

help you respond differently when they
occur the next time.
What are your triggers?
 __________________________________

 __________________________________

 __________________________________
 Thoughts Matter
 Triggers are accompanied by thoughts,
including thoughts that you have so
quickly that they are almost automatic and
you may not even notice them.
 Back to your example…
 What thoughts did you have
about the event just before
becoming angry?
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
 Brainstorming
 The thoughts that lead to anger often
involve feeling treated unfairly.

 While calm, brainstorm other ways to think

about the situation to help prepare yourself
for the next time it occurs
Replace Maladaptive Thoughts
 Instead of Joe did that on purpose to make
me look bad, you might think, Joe is trying
his best, but he still has room to grow.
 Instead of Chris is always late and makes
me wait, you might think, Chris has trouble
being on time; from now on, I’ll just meet
her at class.
 Now You Try
 Usual thought that leads to anger
_______________________________

 New way of thinking about it

_______________________________
_______________________________
How Do You Act When Angry?
 Howdo you typically act when angry?
__________________________
__________________________
__________________________
 ?
 Do you…
 Show it on your face?  Yellor Shout?
 Grit your teeth?  Complain?
 Grin?  Clench your fists?
 Turn red?  Make aggressive
 Criticize the “cause” of gestures?
your anger?  Threaten others?
 Physically attack the  Punch or Throw
“cause” of your anger? objects?
 Curse or Swear?  Stomp your feet?
 Walk out?  Slam doors?
 Withdraw from others?  Brood?
 Aggression

 These are aggressive behaviors.

Aggression and anger are not the same
thing. People act aggressively for a
purpose, such as showing others their
anger, intimidating others, getting a feeling
of relief….
 Avoiding

 Sometimes people avoid others when they

are angry so they won’t show the anger or
take it out on others. This can be helpful
at times, but it can also lead to isolation
and passivity--not dealing with problems,
so never solving them.
 What are the Effects of Your
Actions?
 What usually occurs after you react to your
own anger?
___________________________
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 What are the short term effects?
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________

 For example:
 Do you experience relief?
 Do you become angrier? Depressed?
 Does your anger influence other situations

you encounter or your interactions with

others?
 ?
 What are the long term effects?

 For example:
 Do you become angry again in a similar
situation?
 Do you continue to experience the same
problem as before?
 Are there significant long term effects, such as
lost friendships or jobs, a drinking problem, or a
court appearance?
 Negative Aspects of Anger
 Anger may lead to muddled thinking or
impulsive action
 Anger can cause confusion as to where
the true problem lies
 Anger can lead to aggression or
avoidance
** Based on: The Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities 2
Secondary Assembly Script 7, Topic 4A, Managing Anger
 Can Anger be a Positive?
 Although anger is often viewed as a
negative feeling, it can be used in a
positive way…
 Anger provides cues that there is a problem
 Anger provides energy and can help motivate
action
 Anger encourages the expression of feelings
** Based on - The Society for Safe and Caring Schools and
Communities 2 Secondary Assembly Script 7, Topic 4A, Managing
Anger
 Positive Relief
 Anger feels uncomfortable. There are
ways to relieve it that are not destructive.
Taking some time before reacting can be
constructive—not aggression, not
avoidance, just a break before deciding
how to handle things that have led to the
anger.
 Time Out
 Ways to ease feelings of anger
 Take a walk or engage in some other physical activity
 Perform a relaxation exercise (e.g. meditation,
progressive relaxation, etc.)
 Read a book
 Listen to music
 Watch television
 Talk to or call a friend
 Write in your journal
 Complete chores
 What ideas do you have?
 Practicing Relaxation
 Progressive relaxation
** Adapted from: The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook by Edmond J. Bourne, PhD

 Take 3 deep abdominal breaths and imagine the

tension leaving your body as you exhale
 Clench your fists and hold for up to 10 seconds (use
this amount of time for each muscle group). Release.
 Tighten your biceps. Release.
 Tighten your triceps. Release.

 Continue to follow the directions above for each muscle

group making sure you include muscles in your face,
shoulders, and core, and continue to breathe deeply.
 Practicing Relaxation
 You can also envision yourself in a setting
you find peaceful
 Make sure you envision the scene in great
detail
 You do not have to limit yourself to reality

** Adapted from: The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook by Edmond J. Bourne, PhD
 Use the Anger
 Let anger be your friend. Listen to it.
What is the problem you are
encountering? Is it related to the
preceding situations or moods? Why is
the trigger powerful over you?

 What steps can you take to figure out the

problem?
 Addressing the Problem

 Once you have figured out the problem,

you can figure out how to address it. Do
you need to rearrange your schedule?
Learn time management skills? Talk with
someone about your interactions? End a
bad relationship? Find a major you like
better?
You’re Not Alone
 Sometimes things are easy to figure out
and change. Many time, though, it’s hard.

 Consider using the Counseling Center to

help you learn to understand better what
your anger is telling you, and how to make
good changes in your life.
 Questions?
 If you have any questions you can contact
the Counseling Center
 Phone: 556-0648
 Location: 316 Dyer Hall
 Hours: Monday 9 AM – 6 PM
Tuesday 9 AM – 7 PM
Wednesday thru Friday 8 AM – 5 PM
 Website: www.uc.edu/sas/counseling
 Counseling Center
 We offer…
 Confidential individual and group counseling to UC
students
 Urgent Care walk-in services during business hours
 Consultation to faculty, staff, family, and friends
concerned about a student
 Workshops and presentations on stress management,
communication, relationships, balancing demands,
and a variety of other topics
 Assistance using community resources
 References
 American Psychological Association:
Psychology Topics
www.apa.org/topics/controlanger.html

 Dr. Weisinger’s Anger Workout Book:

Step-by-Step Methods for Greater
Productivity, Better Relationships, and
Healthier Life
-By Hendrie Weisinger, PhD
 References
 Lifewatch Employee Assistance Program
www.lifewatch-eap.com

 The Society for Safe & Caring Schools &

Communities
www.sacsc.ca

 The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook

-By Edmund J. Bourne, PhD