Anger Management
Ineffective expression of anger can affect many aspects of a person’s life, such as career, relationships, social behavior, and others. Learning effective ways to manage and express anger will result in being more successful in all areas of life.
Well-managed anger can be a useful emotion that motivates you to make positive changes. On the other hand, anger is a powerful emotion, and if it isn’t handled appropriately, it may have destructive results for you and those closest to you. Uncontrolled anger can lead to arguments, physical fights, physical abuse, assault, and self-harm.
PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF ANGER
Anger triggers the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response. Other emotions that trigger the ‘fight or flight’ response include fear, excitement, and anxiety. The adrenal glands flood the body with stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. Heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration increase, the body temperature rises and the skin perspires.
The constant flood of stress chemicals and associated metabolic changes that go with ongoing unmanaged anger can eventually cause harm to many different systems of the body.
Some of the short and long-term health problems that have been linked to unmanaged anger include:
• Headache
• Digestion problems, such as abdominal pain
• Insomnia
• Increased anxiety
• Depression
• High blood pressure
• Skin problems, such as eczema
Learning effective ways to express anger
When you learn effective ways to express anger, it will give you a sense of achievement, and make you feel more positive. You may feel more relaxed, healthier, and sleep better. You may develop stronger relationships, and feel happier overall. People who are stressed are more likely to experience anger.
Numerous worldwide studies have documented that regular exercise can improve mood and reduce stress levels. This may be because physical exertion burns up stress chemicals, and it also boosts the production of mood-regulating neurotransmitters in the brain, including endorphins. Everyone gets angry sometimes, it is human nature. The important thing is how you react to and control feelings of anger.
Manage your feelings appropriately, and your relationships do not have to be negatively affected. But if you let anger control you, you might hurt the loved ones in your life. For this reason, it is very important to learn anger control techniques if you have a quick temper.
Rita Davis, LCSW can help you gain more control over anger with proven strategies. People who practice these strategies will, over time, be able to prevent their anger from increasing in many areas of their lives such as relationships, careers, friendships, and parenting.