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What Is Anger Management?
Whether it is road rage, a provoked emotional
outpouring of anger, or losing your temper over something silly, every
one of us have lost our tempers at one time or another. Anger
management only becomes an issue when we are no longer able to control
our anger, and have destructive outbursts. A destructive outburst does
not necessarily mean that you have broken something, or physically hurt
someone, as a manifestation of your anger, it just means that, because
of your inability to control your angry responses to a real or perceived
stimulus, you have done something harmful to someone, something, or even
to yourself.
When your anger controls you, you may feel you are at the mercy of
something that you can not control. Anger can cause you to do things
you normally would never do, and even things you could regret for the
rest of your life. Anger can even affect your physical well-being in
more ways than one. Studies have shown that anger causes your heart
rate and blood pressure to rise. Hormones, like adrenaline and
noradrenalin, also rise when you are angry. Anger can push you
backwards emotionally, into the cave men era, when the fight or flight
response was the only way to stay alive in an uncivilized world, so not
only does uncontrolled anger effect your life in the areas of your
personal relationships with others, it effects you physically as well.
Anger management is a learned skill, so it’s more common in youngsters
and teens, who have not learned good coping skills to deal with their
anger. Should you feel you are at risk of losing your temper in a way
that could harm you, or others, you should always seek professional
help. Ask your parents, pastor, physician, school counselor, or a
trusted, responsible friend for help.
The following is a list of suggestions for when you begin to feel your
anger getting out of control.
1. Take a time out. Just take a break away from the object of your
anger.
2. Beat a pillow or punching bag.
3. Draw or illustrate your feelings of anger.
4. Write about your feelings.
5. Run around the block, exercise, or do hard physical labor.
These may not be long term solutions, but can provide an opportunity for
your initial feelings of rage a chance to cool, so you can think more
logically about your options for anger management.
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